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

The overall look suggests a fuel canister, while physical features such as the bump guards that surround the front-panel buttons and the flip-up cover over the reset button recall fighter-jet controls. — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026 Atlanta already had a franchise-record 30-win season behind it and retained a core that included All-Star guards Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard and two-time WNBA champion Jordin Canada. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Joaquín Ruano’s drama traces a relationship unfolding amid escalating tensions with Romero’s fellow guards, using violence as an ever-present pressure that exposes what the characters attempt to conceal and what can no longer be sustained. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 Before meeting the three women, volunteers with the Beauty Beyond Bars program were warned by guards and administrators to hide scissors or sharp objects and to monitor every product that was visible in the room. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026 The wing-heavy Bulls have a bevy of forwards and jumbo guards who play best off the ball. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 At Maranjau, Young said the games create opportunities for prisoners and guards to interact in a less formal setting. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Jarquín was imprisoned for nine months, and later told journalists and human rights investigators that guards burned his genitals with cigarette butts. — Ismael López, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Lady Justice appeared bound and under surveillance, with prison guards surrounding her before the entire world began to crumble. — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Verb

Later in the game, Heat guards Tre Donaldson and Myron Gardner shined. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 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

Signed as a free agent to help fill the enormous void left by Lavonte David’s retirement after 14 seasons, the former Florida Gator and his golden locks arrived in Tampa Bay facing a challenge beyond replacing a veteran presence.

— Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Users can speak to HomeView to control smart home devices, such as, for example, telling Siri to close the smart blinds or activate smart locks.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of locks

Noun

For now, the study identifies a previously underappreciated part of the immune system that could help overcome one of SCLC’s most persistent defenses.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
The restriction disrupted operations, including making the slower-flying attack drones easier targets for Russian defenses.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of defenses

Noun

The same principle holds wherever physical AI guides work that once required a licensed professional’s judgment.

— Ronald Bisio, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
So far, those stories have looked like guides to different cuisines, Q&As with chefs and bartenders, coverage of industry issues, fun trend reporting and much more.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of guides

Noun

No wonder, then, that members of some old syndicates now seek credit for barring such foreigners from their ranks, as though the yakuza were still defenders of a noble Japanese tradition.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
In keeping with the film‘s maximalist vibe, the noise around it keeps whipsawing in different directions, with defenders calling it a misunderstood masterpiece and detractors equally fervent in calling it a complete artistic disaster.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of defenders

Verb

The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026
Rules finalized in 2024 also provided recognition that Title IX protects LGBTQ+ students and made live hearings optional.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 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