sentinel

noun

ˈsent-nəl How to pronounce sentinel (audio)
Definition of sentinelnext
as in guardian
a person or group that watches over someone or something a lone sentinel kept watch over the fort

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 sentinel Of all of them, the sentinel suites are undoubtedly one of my favorite places in the world. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026 Corkie putting the snake into the tub looks like the sentinels or the wire going into people’s pods. — Nick Newman, IndieWire, 1 June 2026 And for decades, billboards with Smart’s smiling face stood like sentinels along Highway 101, silently urging anyone with information to come forward. — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026 Their Tibetan ancestry dates back thousands of years to when they were bred as an interior sentinel in the Buddhist monasteries. — Katelyn Chef, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sentinel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentinel
  1. guardian
  2. guard
  3. custodian
  4. warden
  5. keeper
  6. sentry
Noun
  • All of these titles were chosen based on parental and guardians’ reports of the subjects’ favorite programs.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
  • The family had been living on Shikoku island in Japan – a country where, until a law change this April, only one parent could be considered a child’s legal guardian after divorce.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 12 July 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • Former Houston standout guard Kingston Flemings hit a deep jumper — his toe was ruled on the 3-point line — with three seconds left in OT, slicing Utah’s lead to one, 100-99.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
  • Tempers flared late in the fourth quarter when Kings center Dylan Cardwell and Nets guard Egor Demin wrestled for a loose ball.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of guard
Noun
  • The deals, reached to avert a strike in April, promised double-digit raises to teachers, aides, custodians and other workers.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • That said, in practice, most IRA custodians will have their own documentation requirements.
    — James Lange, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • There’s also a tiny museum and a house where the island’s wardens live.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 8 July 2026
  • Judge McCaslin weighed in on the laptop issue during Monday's hearing, saying that the prison warden would not allow Murdaugh to keep a laptop in his cell due to safety concerns.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of warden
Noun
  • The critical moment took place before that, when the taker didn’t accurately perceive or interpret the movements of the ’keeper.
    — Geir Jordet, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • But the White Sox drafted a keeper that year in Hall of Famer Harold Baines.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • The former is heralded with a blast of horns; the latter guards its inner sanctum behind Tobie Windham’s officious sentry.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Finally, unable to stand down the household guard on her own, Alicent confesses her scheme to Helaena, who orders the sentries on the ramparts to hold fire when Rhaenyra flies in on Syrax.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of sentry

Browse Nearby Words

sentiments
sentinel
sentinels
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Cite this Entry

“Sentinel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentinel. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sentinel

Nglish: Translation of sentinel for Spanish Speakers

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