1
as in wardens
a person or group that watches over someone or something
checked in with the security guard at the gate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in defensives
a position of readiness to oppose actual or expected attack
be on your guard against snakes in the swamp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in locks
a protective device (as on a weapon) to prevent accidental operation
slid the guard into place over the chainsaw chain
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in defenses
means or method of defending
the boxer's sparring partner managed to get a blow in under his left guard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in guides
one that accompanies another for protection, guidance, or as a courtesy
the honor guards raised their sabers as the happy couple descended the church steps
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in defenders
someone that protects
a battalion of burly guards surrounding the celebrity
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in protects
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 blockades
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guards
Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The team is paying a ton of money to starting guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, so Zavala’s only avenue for playing time is as backup insurance.
—Mike Kaye
february 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Guards lead way for Tigers All six of Missouri's top scorers are guards.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
While the Heat over the years have succeeded with smaller guards, the majority of success stories with those of diminutive stature are those with stockier builds, such as Tim Hardaway, Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry or even current bulldog Davion Mitchell.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
First, Spoelstra pointed to the fact that starting guards Norman Powell and Pelle Larsson both were missing for at least a chunk of the third quarter.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
In a change from 2025, the participants in this year’s tournament were grouped into four quadrants based on position, with a bracket for bigs, wings and two groups of guards loosely separated by size.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The top four producers for the Wolverines (20-3, 11-1) are guards.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Notre Dame has produced some outstanding high school guards in the past five years, from Dusty Stromer to Mercy Miller to Angelino Mark, who’s a freshman at Rutgers and showed up Monday night to root for his former teammates.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The core rotation of Swain, post Matas Vokietaitis, forward Lassina Traore, wing Cam Heide and guards Tramon Mark, Simeon Wilcher, Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver have played in a cumulative 190 out of a possible 192 games.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
The Wizards traded for the 32-year-old Davis on Wednesday, sending four players and five draft picks to the Dallas Mavericks for Davis and guards D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy and Danté Exum.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Veteran guards Tyus Jones, Lonzo Ball and Chris Paul all joined new teams last offseason, only for their contracts to be hastily offloaded at the deadline in white-flag trades.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Working in reverse with those three options, the three two-way players currently under contract to the Heat are center Vlad Goldin and guards Myron Gardner and Jahmir Young.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Boston’s other two-way players are second-round rookie guards Max Shulga, who made his NBA debut late in Wednesday’s win, and John Tonje, who came over from Utah in the Boucher trade.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
But her mother guards her fiercely, because even the most minor imbalance in her small, cloistered world could bring the seizures back again.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Last summer’s political violence — and a subsequent break-in at the Capitol by a nude intruder who guards found sitting in the Senate President’s Chair — increased political pressure to harden security.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
The team’s mean average height is 6-foot-4 due to the notable shortness of main rotation guards Tre Jones (6-foot-1) and Rob Dillingham (6-foot-2) and two-way guards Yuki Kawamura (5-foot-7) and Mac McClung (6-foot-2).
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
The team is paying a ton of money to starting guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt, so Zavala’s only avenue for playing time is as backup insurance.
—Mike Kaye
february 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Guards lead way for Tigers All six of Missouri's top scorers are guards.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
While the Heat over the years have succeeded with smaller guards, the majority of success stories with those of diminutive stature are those with stockier builds, such as Tim Hardaway, Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry or even current bulldog Davion Mitchell.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
First, Spoelstra pointed to the fact that starting guards Norman Powell and Pelle Larsson both were missing for at least a chunk of the third quarter.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
In a change from 2025, the participants in this year’s tournament were grouped into four quadrants based on position, with a bracket for bigs, wings and two groups of guards loosely separated by size.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
The top four producers for the Wolverines (20-3, 11-1) are guards.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Notre Dame has produced some outstanding high school guards in the past five years, from Dusty Stromer to Mercy Miller to Angelino Mark, who’s a freshman at Rutgers and showed up Monday night to root for his former teammates.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
Junior guards Ben Piekarz, the coach’s son, and Dave Malley each made four 3-pointers, including three apiece in the second half.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The core rotation of Swain, post Matas Vokietaitis, forward Lassina Traore, wing Cam Heide and guards Tramon Mark, Simeon Wilcher, Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver have played in a cumulative 190 out of a possible 192 games.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
The Wizards traded for the 32-year-old Davis on Wednesday, sending four players and five draft picks to the Dallas Mavericks for Davis and guards D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy and Danté Exum.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Veteran guards Tyus Jones, Lonzo Ball and Chris Paul all joined new teams last offseason, only for their contracts to be hastily offloaded at the deadline in white-flag trades.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026
Working in reverse with those three options, the three two-way players currently under contract to the Heat are center Vlad Goldin and guards Myron Gardner and Jahmir Young.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Boston’s other two-way players are second-round rookie guards Max Shulga, who made his NBA debut late in Wednesday’s win, and John Tonje, who came over from Utah in the Boucher trade.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
But her mother guards her fiercely, because even the most minor imbalance in her small, cloistered world could bring the seizures back again.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Last summer’s political violence — and a subsequent break-in at the Capitol by a nude intruder who guards found sitting in the Senate President’s Chair — increased political pressure to harden security.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guards
Noun
-
According to wardens, a team of trackers spotted the twins on Saturday, with monitoring and protection measures in force to increase their chances of survival.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Forest wardens walk into Kyebi Forest Reserve in the East Akim Municipal district in Ghana.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There remains a rotation underway – financials over tech , value over growth , defensives over high-beta stocks – simply not enough to hold the indexes harmless.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Alarms for doors and windows, smart locks or wearables that detect movement are other options that boost safety and can connect to the caregiver's smartphones.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Three seem like locks (if healthy) – Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defenses downed 95 Ukrainian drones overnight over several regions, the Azov Sea and Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
But the Chiefs desperately need to find a true lead back this offseason— someone who can either force defenses to respect the run or can punish those who don’t.—
Sam McDowell
February 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Companion planting guides are a useful resource for planning the vegetable garden.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Some guides worried that the decertification would mean the team might continue to ignore their safety concerns.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Having a dominant interior presence who draws extra defenders, Thomas said, could do wonders for a scorer wired to attack gaps.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Seattle has four different defenders who recorded 50-plus pressures this season, including defensive tackles Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II (seven sacks apiece).—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But the slow drip of revelations has reinforced a perception that power protects itself and that ordinary citizens live under a different standard.—
Kaitlyn Buss,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The texture-smoothing formula also includes cupuaçu butter—another moisture-locking workhorse—as well as caffeine, which helps boost collagen production, reduces puffiness, and protects skin from environmental damage.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guards. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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