1
as in defenses
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 custodies
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 protects
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 wards
R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
When the news came that a horse had scratched, a great stir rose, and several of the groomsmen who were sitting in the stalls with their horse wards scurried to start their brisk brushing to get the pine shavings off and used their jute sacks to spit-shine the coats slick.
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Maternity wards in southern Democratic Republic of the Congo that are close to mining operations report significantly more birth defects than those farther away.
—Abraham Nunbogu, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Those are four of Little Rock's seven wards, roughly encompassing the southern half of the city as well as its eastern section along the Arkansas River.
—Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 23 Apr. 2026
Composed of Santa Ana residents appointed by council members from their respective wards, the committee has had three seats vacant, preventing it from meeting.
—Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 20 Apr. 2026
In fact, spending an overnight in the ED rather than the wards may increase the risk of death.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Calls from voting wards just started coming in to share how turnout was going around the city.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Incumbents maintained their seats in the three other wards.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
These roads are located within the 3rd, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th wards, according to Tim Weidner, a city engineering coordinator.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
When the news came that a horse had scratched, a great stir rose, and several of the groomsmen who were sitting in the stalls with their horse wards scurried to start their brisk brushing to get the pine shavings off and used their jute sacks to spit-shine the coats slick.
—Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
Maternity wards in southern Democratic Republic of the Congo that are close to mining operations report significantly more birth defects than those farther away.
—Abraham Nunbogu, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Those are four of Little Rock's seven wards, roughly encompassing the southern half of the city as well as its eastern section along the Arkansas River.
—Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 23 Apr. 2026
Composed of Santa Ana residents appointed by council members from their respective wards, the committee has had three seats vacant, preventing it from meeting.
—Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 20 Apr. 2026
In fact, spending an overnight in the ED rather than the wards may increase the risk of death.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 11 Apr. 2026
Calls from voting wards just started coming in to share how turnout was going around the city.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Incumbents maintained their seats in the three other wards.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wards
Noun
-
Hezbollah has introduced fiber-optic drones to its arsenal in the latest escalation with Israel, using nearly invisible cables to control the weapons and bypass Israeli electronic defenses that down other drones.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Militaries have spent years building up their defenses against drone warfare, with one of the most effective methods being the use of electronic jamming to sever the radio connection between the operator and the drone.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
City Council Speaker Julie Menin deserves credit for advancing legislation that protects synagogues, churches, mosques and other places of worship by deploying safety perimeters keeping protesters at a distance.—
Elliot Cosgrove,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Pro hairstylist Ryan Richman previously described this Briogeo cream as a lightweight, silicone-free heat-protectant cream that minimizes frizz, smooths hair, enhances shine, and protects against heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Broward School Board has approved new safeguards after facing criticism from state Republican leaders for using a district logo and a district credit card in connection to a Democratic Party fundraiser.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The proposal would specifically define terms like event contracts while also requiring exchanges to implement safeguards against advertising, illicit finance, and fund segregation.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Detroit failed to take care of the ball when the Magic scored 23 points off 20 takeaways.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Older adults tend to begin treatment within a month of symptoms starting — but young adults face an average seven-month delay before getting care.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Washington might consider restoring the Fulbright Program, and work on better coordination between the US State Department, which issues visas, and Homeland Security, which guards entry points.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The water-resistant outer material guards your essentials against splashes, while elastic straps and multiple pockets help keep your bottles upright.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Another $3 million is going toward retrofitting bus shields for bus operators.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The crimson, sapphire, and emerald of the shields are echoed in the ladies' gowns and the jewels on their necks, ears, and wrists.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Holding a clutch with one or both hands also provides a polite, socially acceptable reason not to shake every hand within reach.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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After their Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid — a title which had been the squad’s main objective — all that is left for Flick’s side now is to seemingly wait to be crowned champions of Spain for a second year in a row.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Founded in 1922, PEN America is a writers’ and free-expression advocacy group that defends the rights of authors and opposes censorship.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Economist defends its policy of not using bylines as tradition, citing the fact many of their articles are the product of collaborations between writers and taking the Ochsian view that what is written is more important than who writes it.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wards. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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