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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 wards

Noun

Knudsen’s office vetted the locations, even contacting several aldermen whose wards would be affected. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026 Tokyo is made up of 23 smaller cities, or wards, each with its own leaders, rules and regulations. — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 Early voting is currently under way at 56 locations in suburban Cook County, and all 50 Chicago wards along with the two permanent downtown super sites. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 Moreau made a tool to measure the depth and heights of the wards, to make a replica of what the original key probably looked like. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 In wards 6 and 7, Dave Tamayo and Heidi Sanborn, respectively, are running unopposed. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026 Scenes with the ward’s young women are where the film truly excels, undeniably a result of Khan and Le Querec’s months-long immersion inside real-life psychiatric wards. — Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026 That has changed quietly, with robots now performing important roles in operating rooms, hospital wards, rehabilitation centers, and corridors around the world. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wards

Noun

Its sister service Starshield, a military version developed for the Pentagon, relies on the Starlink network and has become a vital component for Ukrainian forces, strengthening its far-reaching drone strike missions and air defenses.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 12 Nov. 2026
Read More on News Europe has been gearing up its defenses since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but concerns that Russia could target the Baltic states have been growing recently.

— Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of defenses

Noun

Most children affected by the disease have not received specialized care, contributing to high death rates.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Nov. 2026
Working toilets and comfortable air cabin temperatures must also be maintained and medical care must be provided if needed.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2026

Definition of care

Verb

Not far from the ruins sat the 1990 seawall, the rock embankment that protects some of Tangier.

— John Anglim, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
The piece of legislation protects hundreds of thousands acres of land in the Highlands, which is the main source of drinking water for millions of residents in New Jersey.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of protects

Noun

The complaint alleges the nightclub operated as a late-night entertainment venue without proper licensing, adequate security or meaningful safeguards to prevent violence.

— Richard Ramos, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
New York has an opportunity to close that gap and establish stronger safeguards for the future.

— Wendy Stark, New York Daily News, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of safeguards

Noun

On one play, Walk-Green ripped the ball out of his opponent’s hands and took it 30 yards down the field.

— Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2026
Banks, 42, was restrained on the ground with his hands cuffed behind his back, according to his autopsy report, obtained by CBS Colorado.

— Brian Maass, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of hands

Verb

Three four-year starters — guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn — have departed.

— Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
While in the forest Lakshmana helps secure food and shelter, carries weapons, and guards Rama and Sita.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of guards

Noun

Hundreds of protesters shielding the tent camp were dispersed by police using shields and some baton charges, the Reuters news agency reported.

— Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2026
Dozens of armored cops were still standing guard, shields raised, after a night when 500 people were taken into custody in the French capital alone.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of shields

Noun

The documents specify that the rest of the assets be split evenly between two separate trusts — one for Michael’s children and the other for his 96-year-old mother, Katherine Jackson — according to Paris’s petition.

— Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
For those who remain in the state, methods for organizing wealth that avoid steep estate taxes, such as irrevocable trusts, are becoming more important.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026