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
James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Ask for coupons and samples Manufacturers often lavish maternity wards with freebies, but the hospital staff is sometimes too busy to remember to dole them out.
—Deborah Skolnik, Parents, 1 Mar. 2026
Evan Drellich, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
To ward off negative publicity, sportsbooks trumpet their programs for responsible gaming.
—Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ward
Noun
Friedmann, still a minor, became a ward of the State of Tennessee.
—James Verini, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Ask for coupons and samples Manufacturers often lavish maternity wards with freebies, but the hospital staff is sometimes too busy to remember to dole them out.
—Deborah Skolnik, Parents, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
Baseball players held a 232-day strike to ward one off in 1994-95, and industry fears for another messy stoppage have grown over the last year.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
To ward off negative publicity, sportsbooks trumpet their programs for responsible gaming.
—Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ward
Noun
-
But those two additions should make the Panthers’ defense significantly better coming off an NFC South-winning campaign.—
Mike Kaye
Updated March 9,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Christopher Cann Turkey's Defense Ministry said Monday that NATO air defenses shot down a ballistic missile fired from Iran.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Burwell was taken into custody minutes after the incident.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Drozd ordered Lauer, who lives in Lafayette and has been out of custody on his own recognizance since his indictment in 2023, to turn himself in to federal authorities no later than noon on May 5.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Consider moving a meeting to protect family time, because a small adjustment could restore steadiness without sacrificing your supportive nature.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
To protect these fragile machines, developers are supposed to invest in expensive battery storage or grid backups, ultimately driving up production costs and stalling the transition to affordable green fuel.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Noting some confusion over the like-for-like numbers this year, given recent changes to the business structure, the analysts said that weapon and ammunition growth will remain elevated, and there is scope for its naval business to be resilient, too.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Videos published by Islamic State West Africa Province showed massive weaponry and ammunition, as well as dozens of motorcycles and vehicles that the extremists said were captured during the raids.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Undocumented immigrants were among those gaining coverage, which provided access to regular doctor visits and preventative care .—
Andrew Graham
March 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Sesame’s clinicians will also stay with the patient throughout any IMI RMA procedures to help translate medical terminology, provide emotional support, and offer any other care coordination needed.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV stepped up to the microphone and with unvarnished vigor defended his quarterback.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Coyotes vocalize to defend their territories and for inter-pack communication.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The group pummelled the bot with more than 1,000 prompts to bypass the safeguards and convince Claude they were allowed to test the system for vulnerabilities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The case is likely to intensify scrutiny over how large language models handle vulnerable users and whether current safeguards are sufficient.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Speak with precision, and set limits to guard your focus.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The junior guard was double-teamed, pressed and face-guarded but still found his way to the rim time and time again.—
Justin Vigil Zuniga,
Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ward. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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