GUARDS Synonyms: 130 Similar and Opposite Words

guards 1 of 2

noun

plural of guard

as in wardens

a person or group that watches over someone or something checked in with the security guard at the gate

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as in defensives

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

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offensives

as in locks

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

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as in defenses

means or method of defending the boxer's sparring partner managed to get a blow in under his left guard

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as in guides

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

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as in defenders

someone that protects a battalion of burly guards surrounding the celebrity

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guards

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of guard

as in protects

to drive danger or attack away from guard the quarterback so he doesn't get sacked

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as in blockades

to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point a fire-breathing dragon guarded the entrance to the castle

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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 guards

Noun

Students were randomly assigned to the roles of guards or inmates, with the guards pressured to maintain order by any means necessary. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026 In a possible Supreme Court case, border guards’ invasions of privacy collide with the Fourth Amendment. — George F. Will, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 But this is such a placid group that there’s no real tension between the female guards and the male inmates, and therefore no new insights raised about how complicated a woman’s role in this power dynamic could be. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026 Opponents are reluctant to switch smaller defenders onto Randle, Dëmin said, giving Brooklyn’s guards opportunities to attack the coverage around him. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026 The dynamic guards who scored 28 and 23 points, respectively, combined for 13 assists. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Head coach Mark Campbell has helped develop future WNBA guards like Sabrina Ionescu, Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Miles. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 Abuse of power seems particularly likely when male guards are put in charge of female prisoners, yet precisely this dynamic is the reality in many American prisons. — Judy Berman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026 Among 45 guards who entered Miami’s bye week with 100 or more run blocking attempts, PFF ranks Proctor 15th. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

Verb

Along with Adebayo, guards Pelle Larsson (illness) and Dru Smith (right calf strain) weren’t available for the Heat on Wednesday. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 The router comes with Advanced Router Protection, which guards your router, and a 30-day trial for Netgear Armor Security. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles received six first-place votes and 40 second-place votes (442 points), while Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark followed with 287 and 212 points, respectively. — Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 The Lakers also were without center Walker Kessler (finger), guards Austin Reaves (ankle) and Collin Sexton (lower body), and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma (lower body), who all missed their second consecutive preseason game. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Klaatu's giant robot sidekick, Gort, then steps out of the vessel, obliterates a load of firearms with his laser eyes, and silently guards the ship as his master is taken to hospital. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Oct. 2026 However, Lucille guards dark secrets hidden in her family’s home, and with Edith’s ability to commune with the dead, the things the Sharpes have been trying to hide within the walls of Crimson Peak begin to burst forth. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2026 Aces guards Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young gestured toward officials and security personnel while pointing out attendees sitting in the front row. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 Dolphins interior linemen like center Aaron Brewer and guards Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea could get matchups against seven-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for guards

Noun

According to the post, Kentucky State Police Aviation saw smoke in the area, and wardens and search and rescue personnel were able to access the location, near the headwaters of Cave Run Lake, using a boat.

— Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2026
Game wardens did arrest nine people across Georgia for boating under the influence, the majority of whom were at Lake Lanier.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of wardens

Noun

Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 1,214 Ukrainian drones overnight in one of the largest drone attacks launched by Kyiv.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Unlike the gangs Bukele confronted in El Salvador, Haiti’s criminal groups have developed extensive defenses, access to increasingly sophisticated weapons and have shown the ability to quickly replenish their ranks.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of defenses

Noun

The California Latino Voter Alliance, which is backed by Republican lawmakers, mailed guides to Californians in recent weeks pitching them in English and Spanish on how to cast their ballots for both local and state candidates.

— Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
With the interference removed, the transport molecules can quickly stick to the flexible base, while the new additive guides crystal growth and seals up flaws in the perovskite layer.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of guides

Noun

Some fans are staunch defenders of the polarizing pork sandwich, which consists of a boneless pork patty smothered in tangy barbecue sauce, topped with onions and pickles and served on a toasted roll.

— Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez played all 59 snaps; Rodriguez had a season-low four tackles and PFF rated him fourth-worst among Miami’s 19 defenders.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of defenders

Verb

The lawsuit argues the change violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it was adopted without explanation and the First Amendment, which protects lawyers' ability to advise people of their legal rights and seek prospective clients.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
The arrangement does not grant Indigenous peoples ownership of the sea or seabed, but protects the area’s ancestral uses, including fishing, shellfish and seaweed gathering, as well as access to sacred sites and areas used for navigation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of protects

Verb

There's no question that the United States has a credible threat of force, but the blockade really blockades ourselves as well as Iran.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
As the United States military blockades the Strait of Hormuz fuel prices rose above $100 dollars a barrel.

— Contessa Brewer,Dawn Giel, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026