as in carefulness
a close attentiveness to avoiding danger
you should have shown a little more guardedness about sharing personal information with someone you just met online
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Recent Examples of guardedness
What stayed with the character was that guardedness, that way of seeing the world, the mistrust.
—
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, her guardedness with the public hasn’t prevented her from being warm and open in person.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 Nov. 2025
Making guardedness and affable self-deprecation part of her identity, Keaton was known for wearing turtlenecks, gloves, and hats that kept her largely covered up, saving emotional vulnerability for her performances.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2025
At this point, arguments become a predictable mix of hostility, guardedness and mockery.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, her guardedness with the public hasn’t prevented her from being warm and open in person.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 Nov. 2025
Making guardedness and affable self-deprecation part of her identity, Keaton was known for wearing turtlenecks, gloves, and hats that kept her largely covered up, saving emotional vulnerability for her performances.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2025
At this point, arguments become a predictable mix of hostility, guardedness and mockery.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guardedness
Noun
-
Organizations can benefit by valuing carefulness and concentration not as an obligation, but as a fundamental pillar of success.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Just as essential a consideration as carefulness for committee members, though, is speed.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Small craft should exercise caution across offshore Atlantic waters for east winds 15 to 20 knots.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Objects that are outdoors should be secured and caution should be taken if driving.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Both companies say their programs, known as large language models, aren’t a substitute for professional care and shouldn’t be used to diagnose medical conditions.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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The new jail had tablet computers for inmates and a behavioral-care center for mentally ill arrestees—the first of its kind in an American jail.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Davion Mitchell has been here before, the risk-reward crossroads between going full speed, shoulder first through a hard screen or practicing prudence.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Posey seems to want to pass this off as prudence.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
However, associates have said his wariness over the direction of CBS News under Weiss made his decision easier.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
There is wariness around layoffs and cost-cutting, however, and neither side’s commitments are seen as being set in stone.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Life without that kind of attentiveness?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
This conviction shaped his attentiveness to Jews facing state oppression.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
One key reason for his cautiousness is the financial burden.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Feb. 2026
-
With a style that requires high precision and ruthlessness in front of goal, Villa’s cautiousness was only magnified.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His quiet tone is not shyness or false modesty but circumspection and a sense of boundaries that imply respect and love for real communication.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
This circumspection was by design.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guardedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guardedness. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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