as in insults
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
in her farewell speech, the departing governor got in some retaliatory girds at the media
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in wraps
to encircle or bind with or as if with a belt
for the celebration of the heroes' return, well-wishers girded hundreds of trees with yellow ribbons she girded her waist with a delicate sash
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equips
to provide (someone) with what is needed for a task or activity
the Spartan warrior girded himself for battle with sword and shield
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in surrounds
to form a circle around
a tall hedge girds the exclusive estate and shields it from prying eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of girds
Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling rebuked a Northwest Side alderman who expressed skepticism this week about Chicago’s year-over-year crime declines as the city girds itself ahead of a possible deployment of National Guard troops.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for girds
Noun
-
On Saturday, McIlroy repeatedly had to step away from his golf ball as spectators shouted obscenities and personal insults at the Irishman.—
Jenna West,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Antoni, a former Heritage Foundation economist, had come under fire for his history of social media posts that used economic stats for partisan purposes, sexist remarks, and insults targeting gay TV anchors.—
Ruth Umoh,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the film, one glowing maggot scores an oversized moth, wraps it up, then bores through its eye before eating its living brain.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Edith Hernández Torres, who runs a shop here, wraps hers in cellophane.—
Eyder Peralta,
NPR,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Williams’ background in urban planning and ecology also equips her to help clients restore the landscapes around their buildings, turning projects into regenerative spaces rather than scars on the land.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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My team’s research suggests that mindfulness equips people with the psychological skills required to successfully change behavior.—
Masha Remskar,
The Conversation,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The spread of banchan—side dishes that fill out a traditional Korean meal—that surrounds the central grill serves as a choose-your-own-adventure map for perfectly embellishing your meats of choice.—
Irene Yoo
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
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The two galaxies, named NGC 4532 and DDO 137, are in fact falling into the Virgo Cluster at 547 miles (880 kilometers) per second, and in doing so are plowing through a vast cloud of gas that surrounds the cluster.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The civil-rights movement, which Williams so pointedly admires, furnishes an excellent example of this.—
Andrea Long Chu,
Vulture,
5 Aug. 2025
-
To that end, the university’s Basic Needs Services office, which furnishes a variety of programs and support to help Titans experiencing unforeseen financial hardship, is offering Financial Wellness Peer Mentoring.—
Contributing Writer,
Orange County Register,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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When the temperature begins to cool and the leaves start to shift, hop in your car and take on the 84-mile Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, which encircles New Mexico's highest peak and delivers a stunning array of fall foliage.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Sep. 2025
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Each element encircles a central void, which Robertson describes as symbolic thresholds–portals between identities, spaces, and ideas.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In college football, each team supplies the footballs for when its offense is on the field.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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The players were prepared to give Jones whatever emotional support was needed, just as Jones supplies that type of passion to the defense.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This shame campaign, of course, is unlikely to put a dent in the NFL’s bottom line, just as previous outrages have failed to rattle this juggernaut, still the largest professional athletic league in the world by revenue.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
16 Sep. 2025
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As a result of that and other outrages, in 2008 voters passed Proposition 11, the Voters FIRST Act.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Girds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/girds. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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