1
as in defense
means or method of defending
frequent hand washing is an oft-recommended ward against the spread of common germs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in custody
responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something
gained the ward of his cousin upon the death of her parents
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from
vowed that he would take whatever measures were necessary to ward the nation's people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ward
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
As the weeks in the hospital turned into months, Fleming was searching for a way to bring joy to her son and the other kids in the ward.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Try candles or sprays scented with citronella, lemon, or vanilla to ward them off.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ward
Noun
Earlier this year, the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, stepped up immigration enforcement, deploying police officers to dozens of maternity wards in the country.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
As the weeks in the hospital turned into months, Fleming was searching for a way to bring joy to her son and the other kids in the ward.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
To ward her off and save the town, Chuck has to find the key to her home - 825 Forest Road.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Try candles or sprays scented with citronella, lemon, or vanilla to ward them off.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ward
Noun
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Welcome to the third iteration of The Athletic’s annual defense ranking tiers.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Subramanian is also weighing a defense motion to have Combs' convictions tossed.—
Liam Quinn,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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At the time of writing that initial article, Conway had already been in custody for a month, and he was eventually extradited to Belgium a month later.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Since 2021, 33 inmates have died in custody at a Sacramento County jail, according to Sacramento Bee reporting.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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The commission reports the use of the ATMs by scammers, who urge consumers to deposit cash into them to protect their savings, is on the rise.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The juvenile's guardians found two weapons with ammunition and gave them to police.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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Now, in addition to poring over manifestos and digital footprints, investigators are using these messages found on ammunition and firearms as clues for intention, as illustrated in the Dallas ICE facility incident when investigators were piecing together a possible motive for the attack.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Late public school buses and needing to take care of an occasionally sick child, along with at capacity or costly child care centers, contributed to her precarious employment.—
Elizabeth B. Kim,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Oct. 2025
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While the exact date of the ownership change is still unknown, operations will shift under the United Community Center — including a new age cap of 3 years for on-campus care and a schedule that no longer aligns with Alverno’s academic breaks.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On paper, this is a deep, talented defense that skates well, defends hard, and can move the puck.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Much to the frustration of sleuthing fans, Sherman-Palladino has continued to defend the miniseries’ ending, saying her concern wasn’t with the goings on of any of the aforementioned men.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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At the same time, the pushback from critics highlights that there is still debate about whether these safeguards go far enough.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
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While framed as satire, the content references child exploitation, raising questions about the adequacy of Sora 2’s safeguards.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Although Taylor Swift famously bares her soul in her songwriting, she's historically been guarded about her personal life.—
Janey Tracey,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
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There’s a bar that’s stocked with bourbon, tequila, and moonshine and a couple of porcelain cheetahs guarding a cabinet full of old records.—
Sid Evans,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ward. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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