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Recent Examples of rear guard
The north was expected to be America’s rear guard, a place where values like democracy and women’s rights might have taken hold.
—
Azam Ahmed, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
And assassins from a coalition of all the local indigenous tribes — out for blood over the murder of Jimmy the Creek, one of their own, last episode — slit the throats of Ming’s rear guard.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
General Fran Sigel was assigned as rear guard for forces moving through town.
—Randy McCrory, Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2023
The beefier, more robust rear guards would’ve cost an additional $127 each, according to industry estimates.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 13 June 2023
Striking then racing away as the Russian rear guard struggles to catch up.
—David Axe, Forbes, 3 May 2023
The capelin rear guard, sensing danger, rose off the bottom in a great fleeing cloud.
—Robert Kunzig, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Indeed, Dnipropetrovsk has been a key rear guard for the Ukrainian military and National Guard.
—Taras Kuzio, Foreign Affairs, 25 Jan. 2015
Azam Ahmed, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
And assassins from a coalition of all the local indigenous tribes — out for blood over the murder of Jimmy the Creek, one of their own, last episode — slit the throats of Ming’s rear guard.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
General Fran Sigel was assigned as rear guard for forces moving through town.
—Randy McCrory, Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2023
The beefier, more robust rear guards would’ve cost an additional $127 each, according to industry estimates.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 13 June 2023
Striking then racing away as the Russian rear guard struggles to catch up.
—David Axe, Forbes, 3 May 2023
The capelin rear guard, sensing danger, rose off the bottom in a great fleeing cloud.
—Robert Kunzig, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Indeed, Dnipropetrovsk has been a key rear guard for the Ukrainian military and National Guard.
—Taras Kuzio, Foreign Affairs, 25 Jan. 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rear guard
Noun
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The state is now in the process of transitioning from lethal injection to a firing squad as its lead execution method.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
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Two bills pertaining to firing squad executions for death row inmates won’t advance further this session unless the authors propose them as amendments to other bills.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Because the crash happened not far from one of the department’s precincts, officers on routine patrol were able to get to the scene almost immediately, Chatham County police said.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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Tuesday night, the deputy was responding to a call for service when a tree fell onto the patrol vehicle.—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Under Mariano Rubinacci’s lead, the tailoring house rebranded as Rubinacci in 1963 and opened an outpost on Milan’s Via Montenapoleone in 1974.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
These are Galerie Cécile Fakhoury, which has outposts in Abidjan, Dakar, and Paris; Madrid’s Galería Guillermo de Osma; Paris’s Galerie Kaléidoscope; Milan’s ML Fine Art; and Tokyo’s Kotaro Nukaga.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Seventy-six signings have been made on Parkinson’s watch.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Fresno has been issued a freeze watch.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The picket came after three weeks of rolling 24-hour contract extensions.—
Jacob Sarracino,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
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The informational picket out front of BP Whiting Refinery on Indianapolis Boulevard wasn’t even the 11-year-old’s first time joining the fight for a fair living.—
Michelle L. Quinn,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rivian’s unique styling and inventive features like Kick Turn, the hoot owl and Gear Guardian, Rivian’s virtual sentry, add quirky appeal.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
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Kochab is the brighter of the two outer stars in the bowl of the Little Dipper (the other being Pherkad), which seem to march in a circle like sentries around Polaris, the North Star.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
14 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rear guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rear%20guard. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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