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
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 ward
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2026
To help ward of the condition, Goddard recommended following a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fiber and lean protein.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 1 May 2026
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Alfred initially refused to allow the officers inside the psych ward with their firearms, but later admitted the cops after his supervisor, NYCHHC Officer Michael Kee, 53, arrived at the scene, according to sources.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ward
Noun
Written and directed by Chen Sicheng and starring Jiang Long and Qi Xi, the story follows a man who survives a suicide attempt and becomes a caregiver in a cancer ward, eventually helping terminally ill patients fulfill their deepest desires.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 May 2026
To help ward of the condition, Goddard recommended following a diet low in carbohydrates and high in fiber and lean protein.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 1 May 2026
Verb
Infrastructure like the Grapevine might’ve also warded her off.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Alfred initially refused to allow the officers inside the psych ward with their firearms, but later admitted the cops after his supervisor, NYCHHC Officer Michael Kee, 53, arrived at the scene, according to sources.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ward
Noun
-
Combined with anemic fundraising, a payment to her former criminal defense lawyer left her with just $11,000 in cash in her campaign account as of March 31.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Hamilton may face Senate scrutiny over his lack of experience leading an emergency management agency, though his defense of FEMA’s federal role has earned respect among disaster management professionals.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The 39-year-old man from Stowmarket, Suffolk, was charged with two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior to harass, cause alarm or distress and failing to provide a blood specimen in custody.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
The judiciary said Shahbakhsh carried out his attacks during protests that rocked Iran in 2022 and 2023 following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish woman.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Uthmeier has also argued that the government has a duty to protect children who didn’t have a say in not being raised by both biological parents.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
The Administration’s lawyer, James Powers, argued that the Warrington guidance would protect the groups’ interest in insuring that records remain available.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
And the Lakers — loaded with trade ammunition and cap space and forever wishing on star players — are going to be expected to make a play.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Flight 4765 was scheduled to fly from Denver to Phoenix on Sunday, May 10, when someone aboard found an ammunition magazine on the plane, Frontier said in a statement to USA TODAY this week.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
It’s rooted in the principle of taking care of what’s provided to us — and using it thoughtfully to make people’s lives better.—
Sammy Duda,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Emory University confirmed in a statement that its Serious Communicable Diseases Unit is overseeing the two individuals' care.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Trump nominates Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA, a surprising comeback after the former Navy SEAL was fired last May for defending the agency’s existence amid calls to dismantle it.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
And next Monday, the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will come to Petco Park.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
This transparency is a constitutional safeguard.—
Richard Salgado,
Washington Post,
15 May 2026
-
And that may ultimately define the next phase of AI transformation—not autonomy alone, but the systems, safeguards and leadership models built around it.—
Mira Tzur,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
And by the turn of the twenty-first century, most of those tiny bungalows had been replaced by sprawling estates—fortresses for the entertainment elite, where Oscar trophies adorned mantels and wealth guarded from disaster.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
These moved beyond the bland and laudatory, offering candid and penetrating portraits of artists and celebrities that stand out in an era where A-listers are guarded by armies of publicists and handlers.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ward. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
