as in carefulness
a close attentiveness to avoiding danger
you should have shown a little more guardedness about sharing personal information with someone you just met online
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Recent Examples of guardedness
What stayed with the character was that guardedness, that way of seeing the world, the mistrust.
—
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, her guardedness with the public hasn’t prevented her from being warm and open in person.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 Nov. 2025
Making guardedness and affable self-deprecation part of her identity, Keaton was known for wearing turtlenecks, gloves, and hats that kept her largely covered up, saving emotional vulnerability for her performances.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2025
At this point, arguments become a predictable mix of hostility, guardedness and mockery.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, her guardedness with the public hasn’t prevented her from being warm and open in person.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 Nov. 2025
Making guardedness and affable self-deprecation part of her identity, Keaton was known for wearing turtlenecks, gloves, and hats that kept her largely covered up, saving emotional vulnerability for her performances.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2025
At this point, arguments become a predictable mix of hostility, guardedness and mockery.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guardedness
Noun
-
There was no carefulness in it.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
Organizations can benefit by valuing carefulness and concentration not as an obligation, but as a fundamental pillar of success.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Her caution might also have stemmed from the knowledge that Denise and Mohamed were nearing the end of their sentences.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Small craft should exercise caution over the Atlantic waters and Keys waters due to choppy conditions on the bays and nearshore.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
From the concierge who nimbly assisted me with dining and fitness class reservations to the kind dining staff, the friendly Miami team made sure I was always taken care of and was incredibly helpful at offering local recommendations and insight.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
-
As a result, New Zealand's Health and Disability Commissioner has found that those responsible for the girl's welfare did not communicate effectively and also lacked culturally appropriate care.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
This time, prudence with such planning would be sage.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
That prudence by supporters of the center, including County Commissioner Raquel Regalado and Judge Steve Leifman, is now being used against them to keep the center in limbo.—
Jim DeFede,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the wariness has eased over the past decade.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
Some of the commissioners expressed wariness about the expansion of large-scale facilities in the county.—
Mary Ramsey
May 20,
Charlotte Observer,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Nolan’s attentiveness to his characters extends beyond the page.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
12 May 2026
-
The variance with accustomed Goodspeed values is apparent from the very first moments, though the opening gambit fails due to an appalling lack of attentiveness from the audience.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
There used to be a cautiousness in rolling out new technology.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2026
-
One key reason for his cautiousness is the financial burden.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His quiet tone is not shyness or false modesty but circumspection and a sense of boundaries that imply respect and love for real communication.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
This circumspection was by design.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guardedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guardedness. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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