as in wary
having or showing a close attentiveness to avoiding danger or trouble
a guarded man who knew better than to reveal such delicate information guarded actions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in protected
to drive danger or attack away from
guard the quarterback so he doesn't get sacked
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blockaded
to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point
a fire-breathing dragon guarded the entrance to the castle
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guarded
Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2022
After his relationship with Jan (Amy Ryan) ended dramatically, Charles (Steve Martin) is even more guarded with his heart in season two.
—Emma Fraser and Sophie Brookover, Town & Country, 21 Dec. 2022
Julia Amberger, Nanni Fontana, Marzio Mian, & Nicola Scevola (tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 3 Apr. 2025
Taiwan’s western coastline, facing the Chinese mainland, has relatively few beaches or ports where landing is easy, and those areas are relatively well guarded.
—Chris Buckley, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guarded
Adjective
You’re very guarded.
—Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2022
After his relationship with Jan (Amy Ryan) ended dramatically, Charles (Steve Martin) is even more guarded with his heart in season two.
—Emma Fraser and Sophie Brookover, Town & Country, 21 Dec. 2022
Verb
The docks and logistics areas, which are managed by the Maltese Federation of Aquaculture Producers, are as tightly guarded as a military zone.
—Julia Amberger, Nanni Fontana, Marzio Mian, & Nicola Scevola (tr. Elettra Pauletto), The Dial, 3 Apr. 2025
Taiwan’s western coastline, facing the Chinese mainland, has relatively few beaches or ports where landing is easy, and those areas are relatively well guarded.
—Chris Buckley, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guarded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guarded
Adjective
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Judge, always wary of self-congratulation, downplayed his contributions.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
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Safeties will be wary of the 221-pounder, enhancing Herbert’s long-ball options.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Just as Warner Bros had given Jane’s true creative freedom, from their recording sessions to making their own videos, American facilitated and protected Deconstruction’s art.—
Aaron Gilbreath,
SPIN,
31 Dec. 2024
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But the ecosystem is far from protected, and there are now more than 750 million devices vulnerable to attack.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Just a few months prior, Blackbeard and his small pirate flotilla had blockaded Charleston, South Carolina, for close to a week.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 Nov. 2024
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Military vehicles and local and state police blockaded the route into the town center.—
Jessica Pishko,
The New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Some analysts, including those at Barclays, have also pointed out that there could be potential deceleration in the second half, keeping cautious ratings despite the company’s optimistic outlook.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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Aston Martin Formula One driver Fernando Alonso has revealed a cautious approach in the wet-weather racing argument after the previous race at Spa-Francorchamps saw the FIA delay the race start by 80 minutes due to rain.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This rivalry continued into Survivor Series 2012, where Punk defended his title in a triple threat match against Ryback and John Cena.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
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That’s how the Chiefs defended slot receivers last year.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Students and their allies barricaded themselves inside the hall with furniture and padlocks in a major escalation of campus protests.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2025
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Rosa Woods eventually barricaded herself in the bathroom and called her son, according to court documents.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The trailer is careful to showcase the film’s scale – fighter planes soar, speedboats roar, trains careen, and cities flash by in a blur – while keeping plot details tantalizingly out of reach.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 July 2025
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The hamstring injury Mount suffered overextending his leg in the Manchester derby in December kept him out until March, and Amorim was careful to reintroduce him — and praised his diligence in returning to fitness.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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That posting actually references a much older threat, one that was first flagged by the FBI public service announcement, alert number I-091223-PSA, way back in September 2023.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain.—
Andrew Ford,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guarded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guarded. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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