HEDGES Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

hedges 1 of 2

noun

plural of hedge

as in fences

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

hedges

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of hedge

as in weasels

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in houses

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 hedges

Noun

Airline fuel costs are about to jump as carriers’ hedges expire, AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes warned. — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026 Kent is urging residents in wildfire-prone areas to reconsider landscaping choices that could leave their homes vulnerable, including trees and hedges that can help fire spread toward structures. — Steve Large, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 On the one hand, the buildup in hedges seen in the put/call ratio of QQQ suggests selloffs would be met with support as hedges turn to profit. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 They were set up in nondescript suburban homes, often shielded by hedges or fences. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 Inside the property, police found three bullet holes in a wooden fence obscured by tall hedges. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026 Tall hedges help keep everything nicely hidden from prying eyes. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026 So Georgia fans took special delight in 2015 when their team hung 52 on Spurrier’s South Carolina team between the hedges, and a few weeks later Spurrier retired. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Ligustrum, or privet, is known primarily as a fast-growing shrub that is easily shapable into hedges and living privacy fences. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 10 Sep. 2026

Verb

Apple hedges across the supply chain, but these price rises illustrate systemic long-term pressure rather than short-term variations. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 For example, low-cost Irish airline Ryanair currently hedges 80% of its jet fuel costs, giving them a significant competitive advantage when fuel prices increase. — Tiago Ventura, Time, 26 June 2026 With a minimal, yet still impactful, pastel floral design, the rug hedges its saccharine design with ample negative space. — Briana Feigon, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2026 Neville hedges his bet by filling us in on Michaels’ spotlight apprehension, making his reticence a through line. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 Below the threshold, AI hedges your brand or ignores it. — Jason Barnard, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2026 Royal Caribbean, which hedges roughly 60% of its fuel costs, was less affected than Norwegian and Carnival. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026 Newsom hedges his bets by portraying the budget as a placeholder that covers little more than spending increases driven by law, inflation and caseload until more revenue data are received. — Dan Walters, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hedges

Noun

They are usually found on tree trunks and branches but can also form on outdoor furniture, fences or homes.

— Paula Wethington, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
The trade-deadline blockbusters and late-night deals all seemed at the time like the Sixers were swinging for the fences.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of fences

Verb

Zygielbaum was surprised however that the DOJ reached out only to him, and not the Republican clerk in neighboring Weld County, which also houses a sizable portion of that same congressional district.

— Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
By 2018, the F50 had reportedly been acquired by Chinese billionaire and Instagram influencer Shin Mike Yin, who houses his collection of rare exotics—including a few examples from Pagani and Bugatti—in Dusseldorf, Germany.

— Howard Walker, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of houses

Noun

Meanwhile, North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, tactical roads, anti-tank walls and other fortifications to what's already one of the world's most heavily armed borders.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
From Mojave Ghost to Bal D’Afrique, its scents line the fragrance walls of the industry’s most fabulous faces, practically fly off retailers’s virtual shelves, and admittedly, help set the standard of what an indie brand could be.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of walls

Verb

Places like Los Angeles and Oakland have high permit fees and strict zoning that often confines cans to industrial areas.

— Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
In an industry that often confines its actors, especially women and especially Black women, Hall continues to carve a path defined by risk, depth and courage.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025

Definition of confines

Noun

Both promise to boost supply chain resilience — be that against climate change or geopolitical unrest — but face significant barriers to scale.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
The harder tasks are to integrate capital markets, reduce regulatory differences between member states, and dismantle barriers to cross-border investment and commerce.

— Claas Mertens, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of barriers

Noun

In Italy, a march in central Milan on Saturday over living costs also ended violently, with rioters attacking the police with stones and paving blocks and setting fire to barricades.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
Officers in riot gear clashed with youths who set up street barricades using burning trash bins.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026