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

He was brought to the prison infirmary, where numerous guards surrounded, punched, kicked, choked, dropped and manhandled him. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026 The drone impacts forced Poland's border guards to temporarily suspend cross-border traffic, evacuate people from vehicles and enhance security. — Anna Noryskiewicz, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 Place draft guards under doors, make sure exterior doors close tightly and keep doors and unscreened windows closed — especially while sleeping. — The Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026 Daikel Dumont Rodriguez, on a call this week from Krome North Service Processing Center, said that he was left in the box in shackles for about six hours after protesting a man being beaten by guards. — Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026 After the tragedy in the stadium, Haymitch claps in front of the mostly empty, save for guards and Peacekeepers, stands. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026 With Mike Boynton stepping in as head coach, Michigan will still be formidable as guards Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney return. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2026 Jackie Young | Guard/Wing Young, 28, has become one of the best off-ball, two-way guards in the world the past few years. — Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Gray was a pivotal piece in the 2022 victory at the World Cup, but Young, despite being one of the best guards in the WNBA today, wasn’t on the squad. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Verb

Anthropic closely guards its training data sources, but music publishers think the court should require more transparency. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 Liberty guards Marine Johannes and Pauline Astier are both looking forward to the opportunity to represent France during the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup tournament. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 Rookie guards Tonie Morgan, a former developmental player who signed a standard contract recently, and Chance Gray, the team’s second-round draft pick, both added eight points each. — John W. Davis, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2026 Hal Jordan is the chief Green Lantern of planet Earth at this time, part of an intergalactic policing organization that guards sectors of the cosmos. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, on the neighboring field, Purdy had finished his initial reps by the time the 49ers’ offense, particularly guards Robert Jones and Dominick Puni, got into a scrum with the Titans. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 Shrine guards flick sticks with ostrich feathers at female pilgrims lingering too long in the shade to try to keep the flow of people moving. — Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026 The caterpillar even guards the wasp’s cocoons before eventually dying. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2026 There’s this belief in the NFL that the more a player thinks about injuries, guards themselves to prevent them, the more they are destined to happen. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 30 July 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

Any dollar that stays in Georgia is one that can’t be spent on competitive races in perennial battlegrounds like Maine, Michigan or Ohio — or new hot spots such as Iowa, Kansas and Texas where Republicans once were seen as locks.

— Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026
In 2019, Star-Telegram media partner WFAA-TV reported on the family’s battle with Joshua ISD officials, who said the long locks violated the district’s grooming policy.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of locks

Noun

With plenty to build on considering the way running back Kenneth Walker III’s presence in the backfield is creating crucial dilemmas for opposing defenses that for too long have been able to just predicate everything on stopping Mahomes.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026
The hastiness helps to explain why the administration’s defenses of the order varied so exotically.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of defenses

Noun

In 2026, Ssebayiga and Pabsch are raising funds to train more Deaf guides and to purchase a second 4x4 vehicle to bring routes to Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda, demonstrating that accessible safari experiences are not only possible but in demand.

— CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Apple’s user guides for its latest software list those models as the iPhone 16 series, iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air, and iPhone 18 Pro devices.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of guides

Noun

Among 21 Dolphins defenders, PFF rated Trader 19th and Taaffe 20th.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Nicki Hernández fired a cross toward Aïssata Traoré, who, playing on a yellow card, beat the Dash defenders to the ball and scored for the fifth consecutive game.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of defenders

Verb

The security model that protects your people is a great foundation for your security model for agents.

— Sumit Dhawan, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
French officials and many educators say secularism in public schools and other institutions protects less observant and nonreligious people from pressure while leaving everyone free to worship in private.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 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