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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
Some of the insults refer to comments Talarico has made over the years.—
Danielle Kurtzleben,
NPR,
30 May 2026
-
In state offices, though men reported higher levels of threats and attacks, more women than men experienced harassment and insults.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
After your next meeting, stay on for two minutes after the agenda wraps.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Each year, around Christmas time, my family wraps gifts.—
Sophia Rey,
JSTOR Daily,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Our enterprise-wide AI education and literacy program equips team members with the skills to apply AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring technology adoption drives real operational change.—
Marcus Balzereit,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
This insight, combined with empathy and analytical thinking, equips me to craft policies that create opportunities, guide better decisions and close loopholes for abuse.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
People infected with the less common species may also forgo the disease’s hallmark bullseye rash that surrounds the tick bite, Norris said.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
One of his missions is to end the stigma that still surrounds people with HIV.—
Joe Donlon,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
First seen at a night-club table of menacing lowlifes, Ida, whose mother tongue is Brooklynese, suddenly switches to a heavy British accent and dispenses a torrent of highly literary sarcasms.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The agency furnishes those six apartments and provides dishes and other essentials.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The identification of that fake photo now furnishes an alibi for those who want to deny the real bombing.—
Mahsa Alimardani,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Many travelers choose to explore the area via the Ring of Kerry, the scenic drive that encircles the peninsula.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
-
The tubing with inline emitters, shown at bottom, encircles a citrus.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
More recently, Tandy Hills experienced issues with ATVs being driven through the park and damaging wildflowers, sparking outrages on social media from people who demanded the city take action.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
-
As has always been the case in my life, my main way of responding to political outrages is through writing and reading.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Girds.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/girds. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
