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hedge 1 of 2

noun

ˈhej How to pronounce hedge (audio)
Definition of hedgenext
as in fence
a physical object that blocks the way the messenger was confronted with a hedge of spears held aloft by the castle guards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hedge

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position kept hedging whenever asked for an opinion on the matter

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2
as in to house
to close or shut in by or as if by barriers the prison was hedged by a high stone wall

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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 hedge
Noun
The walls are cedar, the roofline is gabled, and boxwood hedges fence off terraces, putting it on a shortlist of quaint homes planted atop conventional New York buildings. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 8 Sep. 2026 Cut individual branches rather than shearing the shrub like a hedge. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026
Verb
So aldermanic opponents of the mayor reacted strongly when Steven Mahr, then Johnson’s acting CFO, hedged last month on whether the city would make good. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 Sidney is hedging his words in ever more delaying parentheses. — Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hedge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hedge
  1. fence
  2. weasel
  3. house
  4. wall
  5. shake
  6. enclose
  7. barrier
  8. surround
Noun
  • The big rig collided with the three vehicles ahead, then continued through a fence west of Highway 99 before coming to rest partially blocking the southbound freeway and the 99 Frontage Road.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • So picking up Pete, rounding the bases, and then going back in the dugout and everything that unfolds while that’s happening is just as important as the play-by-play of that ball going over the fence.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of fence
Verb
  • From there, the Giants remained deadlocked in a 1-1 tie until the 10th, though San Francisco’s relievers had to weasel their way out of trouble to keep the game tied.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
  • After Felix invites him to his family’s palatial country house over summer break, Oliver weasels his way into their good graces and turns their world upside down.
    — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026
Definition of weasel
Verb
  • This does not include other emissions or costs of administering the vaccine — the structure that physically houses the flu clinic, the electricity for the lights, the table and syringes, or the transportation to get everyone there.
    — Cassandra Thiel, STAT, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Multi-Hyphenate is housed in deep oxblood-colored glass with silver detailing, part of a broader packaging approach designed to make each product feel distinctive and covetable.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of house
Noun
  • By the end of the night Kareem disappears, as does a painting on his wall.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Stickers celebrating bygone 21st birthdays cover the walls outside the bathrooms.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of wall
Verb
  • As Gansey greeted them, shaking hands, taking photos and smiling endlessly, one stepped forward with a question that encapsulated everything.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • More than a year of demonstrations sometimes drawing hundreds of thousands of people shook Vucic more than ever during his 14 years in power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • The outdoor cinema is wrapped by a rough-hewn Brutalist perimeter—half-lined with concrete cubes, the other half enclosed with planks salvaged from the boardwalk destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The brand’s first offering is Travel Discovery Set ($135), featuring five scents enclosed in a sleek silver cigarette case, which feels substantial and heavy in the hand, like something your grandmother might have owned.
    — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of enclose
Noun
  • Rice lipids and jojoba oil seal in moisture and replenish the skin barrier, while 2% ectoin soothes redness and protects against water loss.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund was created to support semiconductor research and development investments, reduce barriers to innovation, and address growing global competition in the semiconductor industry.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of barrier
Verb
  • Integrated photonics could reduce the number of separate components surrounding the processor.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The talks surrounding Sunday alcohol sales recently arose during a citizens forum at a recent meeting, said City Administrator Jeff Dingman.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of surround

Browse Nearby Words

hectors
hedge
hedged
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Cite this Entry

“Hedge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hedge. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hedge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hedge

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