guardian

noun

ˈgär-dē-ən How to pronounce guardian (audio)
Definition of guardiannext
1
as in custodian
a person or group that watches over someone or something the state became his guardian when he was put into protective custody

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2
as in keeper
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner the guardians of the summer estate awaited the return of the tycoon

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3
as in protector
someone that protects the editor defended his newspaper's unrelenting exposure of government corruption, arguing that it is journalism's role to act as a guardian of democracy

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4
as in caregiver
a person who has responsibility for the care of another when her parents died, her aunt became her legal guardian

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 guardian Sheriff’s officials encouraged parents or guardians whose children received music lessons from Chen to speak with their children about their interactions with their music teacher. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 But after a deadly shooting last year at Florida State University, lawmakers expanded the school guardian program to include colleges and universities. — Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 Martinez and Jesse became her legal guardians, and Martinez communicated every day with Rachelle’s mother, Maddison, who is still in prison. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 In a dystopian Madrid where children become the legal guardians of their parents, María confronts the system when her mother is admitted to La edad menor, an irreversible process of infantilization. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for guardian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guardian
  1. custodian
  2. keeper
  3. protector
  4. caregiver
  5. guard
  6. warden
  7. defender
  8. caretaker
Noun
  • But without custodians, this will cease to be the case in the long term.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Between your wallet and the coffee shop sit a custodian holding your balance, a program manager running the card, a sponsor bank whose BIN it is issued under, a processor authorizing the swipe and the network that clears it.
    — Shawn Yu, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • That drive started with a Mariota keeper around the left end that went for 35 yards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Crisis Manager This is the keeper of all things calm, the soothing presence when things get a bit too much.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • Of Miami’s seven third-and-long situations — seven-plus yards — the Dolphins utilized at least one extra protector on five of the plays, which didn’t help a winded front.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The second a Verizon worker mentions adding a screen protector, my blood boils.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of protector
Noun
  • While employed as an AFL caregiver, Rivera-Rivera reportedly enrolled to be a Personal Care Assistant for the same recipient.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 Oct. 2026
  • States have already started slashing caregivers’ pay and other critical disability services in anticipation of Medicaid cuts that will roll out next year.
    — STAT, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of caregiver
Noun
  • Suamataia didn’t start at left guard on the offensive line for the Chiefs in their AFC West showdown with the Raiders.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Turns out, since Proctor has been a major catalyst in the run game, routinely moving defensive tackles at guard, there’s some thought that guard, and not tackle, might be his future home.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of guard
Noun
  • Hosfelt was among nine staff members, including the former warden, arrested in June 2024 and charged with felonies in connection with deaths at the prison.
    — Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Luckily — or maybe unluckily — the camp’s warden, a hardbitten guy with an oily smile named Clancy (Russell Crowe, hardbitten, smiley, and oily), takes a liking to Murphy.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of warden
Noun
  • Assistant federal defender Stephen Ferrell, the attorney for Christa Pike, said in a Sunday interview with Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union that his client remains unconscious and intubated in a Nashville hospital.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Quiñonez’s teammates regard her as an above-average, highly aggressive defender, but assertive defense and foul trouble are often synonymous in college basketball.
    — Jake McCreven, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of defender
Noun
  • Absentee voting is available to the elderly, disabled people and their caretakers, and others.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Hathaway told The Hollywood Reporter at the Verity New York premiere on Tuesday night (Dvorovenko portrays Verity’s caretaker, Anna).
    — Michaela Zee, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of caretaker

Phrases Containing guardian

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guardhouses
guardian
guardian angel
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Cite this Entry

“Guardian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guardian. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on guardian

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about guardian

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