guards 1 of 2

plural of guard
1
2
as in defensives
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 locks
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 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

Synonyms & Similar Words

6

guards

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of guard

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
Atlanta played much better in a 1-point loss to the Patriots on the road last Sunday, but there are major concerns on the O-line after starting guards Matthew Bergeron and Chris Lindstrom had to leave the Pats game early. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025 Haydar was prisoner 13077 at Abu Ghraib, one of those photographed by the American army prison guards in various positions of agony. Ben Wedeman, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025 And then the intention was that the guards were going to put that box of marbles through the window of the doors of everybody's room. Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025 Transfers Ryan Conwell and Adrian Wooley are seen by scouts as potentially intriguing guards in the backcourt next to Brown. Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 Both guards are seeking compensatory and punitive damages to be determined at trial. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025 The Panthers have had three starting right guards this season and all three have sustained noteworthy injuries. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025 Nine teens temporarily escaped from a facility the company owned near Philadelphia following a riot in 2023, and guards at the same facility suffered minor injuries during a riot in September. Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025 Bradbury and guards Jared Wilson reached and erased the Browns' linebackers on several snaps, even as backside blockers who kept pursuing tacklers from chasing Henderson or Stevenson down. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
According to a team press release, Utah has cut floor-stretching center Mo Bamba plus guards Pedro Bradshaw and Sean East II, just days prior to the start of Utah's season. MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 The edit suite looks like a dorm room, full of fanboy figurines like a life-size Funko Pop of Stranger Things’ protagonist Eleven (played by Millie Bobby Brown) that guards the front door in her blonde wig, clutching her favorite snack, Eggo waffles. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025 Cleveland guards Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller, along with Tennessee’s Kevin Zeitler, may be available to help fill the massive hole in Denver’s offensive line left by Ben Powers’ injury. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2025 Heat guards Terry Rozier (strained left hamstring) and Herro (left ankle surgery), and forward Simone Fontecchio (left lower leg tightness) were held out of practice on Tuesday and aren’t expected to play in Wednesday’s preseason game. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025 Starting center Cooper Beebe, left tackle Tyler Guyton, and guards Tyler Booker and Tyler Smith were all out. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2025 That second tier of the East, the one the Pistons are hoping to join, is ripe for the Magic, a tough-minded, young team that already guards like one of the NBA’s elite. Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 This coating guards the grapes against bacteria and fungi. Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2025 While the Kremlin closely guards its economic data, independent analyses show debt is soaring, while growth is cooling. semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guards
Noun
  • Forest wardens walk into Kyebi Forest Reserve in the East Akim Municipal district in Ghana.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The Clermont County Animal Shelter took possession of the animals after they were recovered by the wardens.
    Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • However, a deterioration in economic conditions will mean investors should add to traditional defensives and low-beta stocks, which are less volatile than the broader market.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The sleek hair tool dries your locks quickly, while leaving them frizz-free, shiny, and soft.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Lock all windows and doors, and change the locks just in case the tenant had given keys to someone else.
    Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Lai has pledged to increase military spending to 5% of GDP by 2030, strengthening the island’s defenses in the face of a rising threat from its giant neighbor China.
    Reuters, NBC news, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Gmail’s defenses are strong, and users remain protected.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.
    Paul Brett, Space.com, 30 Oct. 2025
  • With emotion regulation, that same anger becomes a steady flame—a force that warms, guides, and endures.
    Marc Brackett, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Bears quarterback Caleb Williams fired a bullet to tight end Colston Loveland, who bounced off two defenders to score what would be the game-winning touchdown.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Bears quarterback Caleb Williams hit tight end Colston Loveland with a pass and the tight end barely evaded two Bengals defenders, who hit each other instead of Loveland.
    Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • These comments are important because our government must place premium in creating a society that respects human lives, secures its borders and protects its citizens.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Spent foliage over the winter also protects the roots against cold.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast.
    Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Guards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guards. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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