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

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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

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 The grounds crew uses Japanese Okatsune shears, specially made for trimming hedges. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 9 Sep. 2026 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 Fences, hedges, noise machines, and relaxing music can all help. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 Privet is a fast-growing plant that’s often used in screens and hedges. — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026 Completed in 1916, the two-story Hollywood Hills home is tucked behind gates and tall hedges. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 28 Aug. 2026 The famous hedges were removed from Sanford Stadium for that occasion. — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Platforms' latest offerings include perpetual futures contracts and hedges for certain risks, which experts said are ways for the platforms to appeal to Wall Street and identify as serious financial instruments. — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 18 Aug. 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

Both property owners share responsibility for maintenance and appearance of boundary fences, according to Robert Corrao, president of Jan Fence Inc.

— Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2026
Repair any gaps beneath existing garden fences and install buried wire around decks, sheds, chicken coops, and crawl spaces.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of fences

Verb

The arrest also comes just after the restaurant announced its intent to restart business inside the building that houses Maggie’s Pub in Whittier.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
The building that houses the Brigham and Women’s Hospital emergency department opened in 2022.

— Brittany Trang, STAT, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of houses

Noun

The Chicago Cubs center fielder made an Air Jordan-style catch during Friday’s 6-1 win over the Miami Marlins, banging into a nook where two walls converge at funky loanDepot park.

— Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin broke out of Alcatraz by digging holes in the prison walls using spoons from the cafeteria.

— Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 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

The Air Line Pilots Association wants the secondary barriers added to existing aircraft.

— Rio Yamat, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
There is a conflict between those who still believe in social barriers and those who believe that all actions should be based on a proper calculation of the return on investment.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of barriers

Noun

If the story of women’s liberation is often told as one long unlacing of the corset, an early salvo came from the French barricades.

— Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Farmers blocked the highways leading into the city while demonstrators erected barricades throughout Cochabamba, occupied the central plaza, and halted transportation and commerce.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026