off guard
phrase
: in an unprepared or unsuspecting state
Her angry response caught me off guard.
Examples of off guard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After the assemblies, longtime Colorado Democratic strategist Mike Dino told CBS Colorado that DeGette's name recognition and congressional seniority were significant advantages in the race, but that her poor showing caught him off guard.
—
Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
They were perhaps caught off guard that France fielded the majority of their stars in that meeting.
—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
30 June 2026
This month’s announcement from CMS caught states off guard with a new definition of medical frailty.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
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Jesse Sarles,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
They were perhaps caught off guard that France fielded the majority of their stars in that meeting.
—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
30 June 2026
This month’s announcement from CMS caught states off guard with a new definition of medical frailty.
—
ABC News,
29 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20guard. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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