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
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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
Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Inside hospitals, years of cost-cutting left wards brittle, supply chains thin, and no margin for surge.
—Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 27 July 2025
Night shift in a teeming academic hospital can feel like a relentlessly heaving freighter, and I’d been hustling from ward to ward bailing water; this task was just another on my scut list.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ward
Noun
In the early 2010s, a British woman told a New Statesman journalist that her aunt was a midwife in 1940 when Mitford arrived in her ward.
—Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 19 Jan. 2026
Inside hospitals, years of cost-cutting left wards brittle, supply chains thin, and no margin for surge.
—Jennifer W. Tsai, STAT, 18 Jan. 2026
Verb
De Minaur had a chance to break with the score tied at 1-1, but Moutet warded him off.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 27 July 2025
Night shift in a teeming academic hospital can feel like a relentlessly heaving freighter, and I’d been hustling from ward to ward bailing water; this task was just another on my scut list.
—Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ward
Noun
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In defense of the project, the developers say low-income housing is greatly needed in Placer County, and the population boom would support growth for local businesses.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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The Celtics opened with one of their most dominant quarters of the season, outscoring the Blazers 32-11 through balanced offense and smothering defense.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The suspect -- identified by the FBI as Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, of Sahuarita, Arizona -- is in custody.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
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This allows institutional collateral use—potentially extending to central banks—and could reach retail investors, eliminating custody risks.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As a recent Forbes analysis on AI and internal controls underscores, when technology reshapes how money moves, CFOs become responsible not just for managing risk, but for preserving the control structures that protect enterprise value.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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During Wednesday morning's hearing, the former detainees testified remotely from their home countries using translators and only their initials to protect their identities.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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According to Safavi, Ebrahimi was shot with live ammunition by Iran’s security forces during protests against the clerical regime.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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No one’s private health records should be turned into political ammunition — especially children.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Workers counter that the health giant can afford to boost wages, and that patients are already suffering from long wait times and subpar care because Kaiser does not offer competitive pay.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Through these consultations, individuals can speak directly with a care professional to better understand available support, resources, and next steps related to aging, care planning, and services.—
Kris Slugg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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One American star who will not be participating is four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker, who recently signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Rather than leave, community leaders rallied to defend the site, leading to the creation of Sakura Square and Tamai Tower on the block bounded by Larimer, 20th, Lawrence and 19th Streets.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Her lawsuit alleges that, as a fiduciary, Northern Trust had a legal duty to protect the assets in her trust estate by maintaining internal safeguards.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
30 Jan. 2026
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In the letter, Baker argued that sports prediction markets lack key safeguards found in traditional sports betting, including higher age restrictions and robust monitoring, and said those gaps have contributed to harassment of student-athletes.—
Sofia Chierchio,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But her mother guards her fiercely, because even the most minor imbalance in her small, cloistered world could bring the seizures back again.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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After nearly two decades of on-off negotiations, the deal will pave the way for India to open up its vast and guarded market to free trade with the 27-nation EU, its biggest trading partner.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ward. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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