guard 1 of 2

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2
as in defensive
a position of readiness to oppose actual or expected attack be on your guard against snakes in the swamp

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in lock
a protective device (as on a weapon) to prevent accidental operation slid the guard into place over the chainsaw chain

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5
as in guide
one that accompanies another for protection, guidance, or as a courtesy the honor guards raised their sabers as the happy couple descended the church steps

Synonyms & Similar Words

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guard

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word guard different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of guard are defend, protect, safeguard, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

In what contexts can defend take the place of guard?

The words defend and guard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When can protect be used instead of guard?

While the synonyms protect and guard are close in meaning, protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

Where would safeguard be a reasonable alternative to guard?

In some situations, the words safeguard and guard are roughly equivalent. However, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

When is shield a more appropriate choice than guard?

The words shield and guard can be used in similar contexts, but shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

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 guard
Noun
The Sixers have reportedly not ruled out selecting Bailey, and ESPN noted that Daryl Morey, the president of basketball operations with the Sixers, selected current guards Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain without hosting a private workout before past drafts. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025 When the truck's driver and guard went inside, the men struck, quickly breaking in and making away with the bags under the cover of night, MacCabe told USA TODAY. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 19 June 2025
Verb
Fever star Caitlin Clark was being guarded by Sun guard Jacy Sheldon. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025 Then guard Courtney Vandersloot drove up the court after a Fever turnover, lunged toward the basket with the ball in her hands and crashed directly into Aari McDonald. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for guard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guard
Noun
  • Parents and guardians earning $200,000 a year or less are eligible to claim the full $2,000 credit per child through tax year 2025.
    Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 26 June 2025
  • Researchers gave the species a new common name: the Palawan guardian frog.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • New polling of likely voters in Senate battleground states has found President Trump’s frequent clashes with federal courts are becoming a hot issue that could put Senate Republican candidates on the defensive in 2026.
    Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 20 June 2025
  • The Kansas City Chiefs are being sued by former NFL defensive back Ramzee Robinson, who previously worked as the team's director of player engagement.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Nena Farrell The Best Bike Locks and Ebike Locks Our favorite bike locks for every ride, including new locks designed to thwart angle grinders.
    Parker Hall, Wired News, 21 June 2025
  • George Russell’s eyes narrowed under his flowing locks.
    Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 0.74%, despite European defense stocks climbing on news of a NATO deal.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 26 June 2025
  • The Pentagon on Thursday released an extraordinary number of details about the military's top-secret bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities and its defense of an air base in Qatar.
    Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • But if history is any guide, that response could happen at any time − and anywhere, and in potentially any form, former U.S. intelligence officials and diplomatic experts say.
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 23 June 2025
  • Book a call, download your guide, join your newsletter, whatever moves them closer to working with you.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • Along with bigger-bodied players like Davis and Blade, Michigan typically looks for defenders in the 230-pound range who can provide length and speed on the edge.
    Austin Meek, New York Times, 24 June 2025
  • One of the Mütter’s most ambivalent defenders is the Chicago artist, writer, and disability activist Riva Lehrer.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Agnes has born the brunt of the harshness of the world, and Ada has been protected.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 23 June 2025
  • It is believed that the alligator may have been a female acting to protect her hatchlings, reptile expert Kim Titterington told 7News Miami.
    Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Parliament and the president's office in Kenya's capital Nairobi were barricaded with razor wire, with all access roads blockaded by police.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025
  • Small fragments of volcanic debris probably fell like rain through the opening during the first phases of the eruption, causing the four people inside the home to rush to the bedroom and blockade it with a bed to protect themselves.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 17 May 2025

Cite this Entry

“Guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guard. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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