warden

noun

ˈwȯr-dᵊn How to pronounce warden (audio)
Definition of wardennext
1
as in custodian
a person or group that watches over someone or something in his role as warden of the school, a principal must provide a safe environment for the students

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in keeper
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner served as warden for the country estate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 warden Hosfelt was among nine staff members, including the former warden, arrested in June 2024 and charged with felonies in connection with deaths at the prison. — Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026 Luckily — or maybe unluckily — the camp’s warden, a hardbitten guy with an oily smile named Clancy (Russell Crowe, hardbitten, smiley, and oily), takes a liking to Murphy. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026 According to the post, Kentucky State Police Aviation saw smoke in the area, and wardens and search and rescue personnel were able to access the location, near the headwaters of Cave Run Lake, using a boat. — Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2026 Game wardens did arrest nine people across Georgia for boating under the influence, the majority of whom were at Lake Lanier. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for warden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warden
  1. custodian
  2. keeper
  3. guardian
  4. janitor
  5. guard
  6. caretaker
  7. warder
Noun
  • The California State University system reached a tentative agreement with the CSU Employees Union, which represents about 14,500 staff including custodians, nurses and IT specialists.
    — The Sacramento Bee staff, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Two days later, the custodian provided nine documents and forwarded 11 emails from the city clerk.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • That ended a 144-minute scoreless streak for Angel City keeper Angelina Anderson.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Texas State scored a touchdown on all three of its drives that ended in the quarter, including a 67-yard touchdown pass and a 35-yard keeper from Bobcats QB Brad Jackson.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • That's because their potential guardians get detained themselves or are afraid or unable to complete the sponsorship process.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • This may mean removing an abusive parent as their guardian and establishing another relative or foster parent in place of the parent.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • An aide to Kennedy reportedly paid a janitor with the same name to enter the race.
    — Drew Kurlowski, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually, an airport janitor grabbed the bird with her shirt.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of janitor
Noun
  • The former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley recently pleaded guilty to manipulating his prop bets.
    — New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • He was shot during the police chase and is under constant police guard, but has not yet been formally detained because of his medical condition, law enforcement said.
    — Dragana Jovanovic, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of guard
Noun
  • Until a coalition is formed, Netanyahu, who has served 19 years over three tenures as prime minister, remains the head of a caretaker government.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Eudora and Alice were both caretakers for their families, which would interrupt their writing at different times in their lives, and their correspondence would often lament such things.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of caretaker
Noun
  • Yeoman warders take part in the ceremonial search ahead of the state opening.
    — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 13 May 2026
  • She’s accompanied by a chaperone/warder, Loti (Céline Menville), a Frenchwoman who has a mean way with a dagger, and cabin boy Blaster (Kayden Price).
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
Definition of warder

Browse Nearby Words

warded (off)
warden
wardens
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Warden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warden. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All