WARDS Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

wards 1 of 2

noun

plural of ward

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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wards

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ward

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

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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 wards

Noun

Active cooling should come later, focused on the places that need it most, such as schools, hospital wards, and care homes. — Sabrina Weiss, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026 Proceeds from the trek were used to purchase mammography and internal radiation equipment for a local hospital in Nepal (while later missions to Mount Kilimanjaro have also supported children’s cancer wards in Africa). — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 7 July 2026 Princess Kate, who wore a light yellow dress with black buttons and belt from Suzannah London, took a tour of some of the wards and heard how the hospital is undergoing crucial expansion to enable it to widen its help for children. — Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026 Reilly, along with aldermen Brian Hopkins (2nd) and Bill Conway (34th) — whose wards also each include part of downtown — are pushing for a significant overnight police presence in the downtown area to last for the entire summer. — Darius Johnson, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Set in reform schools, psychiatric wards, or overcrowded orphanages, the narratives explore the systemic erasure of identity. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 The proposal — sure to be a high-stakes vote for aldermen who represent renter-majority wards in an election year — includes an array of major changes for landlords and renters. — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Inside is a maze of jail cells and hospital wards, courtrooms and classrooms. — Steven Bertoni, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Arabs and Jews are treated in the same hospitals (in the same wards and rooms) by medical staff comprised of Arabs and Jews. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wards

Noun

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday until early Thursday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its defenses downed 73 Ukrainian drones from late Wednesday into early Thursday.

— Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of defenses

Verb

Habeas corpus is a basic legal principle that protects people from being unlawfully detained and the petition allows immigrants like Wilber to challenge the legality of their detention.

— Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Streamline a tricky task with a co-worker, update an invoice, or create a cleaner process that protects your time and self-respect.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026

Definition of protects

Noun

The restrictions were overturned late last month following weeks of discussions that led to Anthropic creating additional cybersecurity safeguards for its technology.

— Lorelei Smillie, Fortune, 9 July 2026
Election officials in both states already use multiple safeguards to verify eligibility, maintain voter rolls, and investigate potential violations.

— Reid Ribble, Time, 8 July 2026

Definition of safeguards

Noun

Imagine how that comes across to a president who wouldn’t admit to climate change if his putter melted in his hands or Mar-a-Lago became a swim-up hotel.

— Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
But while Erling Haaland and his band of striking Vikings have taken the 2026 World Cup by storm, Norwegian sports officials have been wringing their hands about the future of the nation’s sports model.

— Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of hands

Verb

The 6-foot-9 Haugh stretches defenses with his shooting, attacks the rim, thrives in transition and guards multiple positions.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
The Wolverines signed two other top-50 prospects in forwards Quinn Costello and Lincoln Cosby, plus guards Joseph Hartman and Malachi Brown and center Marcus Moller, a 7-foot-3 prospect from Denmark.

— Austin Meek, New York Times, 23 June 2026

Definition of guards

Noun

Reflective, multilayer shields will block the most heat, and ones with a thicker foam core will work much better than thin ones.

— Cody Godwin, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Security-camera footage filmed Harris and Perez getting out of their cars armed with their Glock service pistols and ballistic shields, the report states.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026

Definition of shields

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“Wards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wards. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of wards

noun

verb

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