guards 1 of 2

Definition of guardsnext
plural of guard
1
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
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

guards

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of guard

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 guards
Noun
For contusions, wear your shin guards. Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 18 May 2026 Mazda also offers a broad selection of optional extras, including multiple paint finishes, different alloy wheel designs, styling packs and practical accessories such as bike carriers, dog guards and roof storage solutions. Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 As for the camper module exterior, Winnebago cages out the alcove face and lower front sides with thick tubular branch guards, wires in a set of floating front auxiliary lights, adds a swing-away full-size spare carrier in back, and secures on under-body aluminum storage lockers. C.c. Weiss may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026 Trunk guards can protect young trees from this kind of damage. Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 May 2026 Everything was clicking for Castle, who is proving to be one of the best two-way guards in the league at just 21 years old and just two years removed from winning a national championship with the Huskies. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2026 Plus, stock up on swim accessories like cover-ups and rash guards, from $13. Erin Cavoto, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026 Weeks later, Tursun says, guards took the teenager away. Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026 While strolling through Central Park in 1987, Honda spotted the artist wandering with no guards and an elderly woman by her side. Julius Miller follow, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
Barnes shares touches with fellow All-Star Brandon Ingram and guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, but Barnes is a superpowered connector. Law Murray, New York Times, 21 May 2026 The Cavaliers need All-Star guards James Harden and Donovan Mitchell to be on the floor, but both are terrible defenders. Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026 However, former Sparks guards Sykes (7), Mabrey (6), and Nurse (5) combined for 18 points early. John Davis, Daily News, 18 May 2026 Among them, Musselman brought in Aussie stretch big Joshua Hughes from Evansville, wing/forward Jadis Jones from Lindenwood and guards Isaac Bruns from South Dakota and Aaron Hunkin-Claytor from Hawaii. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026 Forgetting also guards your emotional health. Gabrielle Principe, The Conversation, 5 May 2026 The property got its start as a villa and still guards that intimate, private feel while providing thoughtful hotel amenities like a gym, a yoga deck, and in-room spa services. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026 Washington might consider restoring the Fulbright Program, and work on better coordination between the US State Department, which issues visas, and Homeland Security, which guards entry points. Andy Browne, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026 In 2019, the height of the rebuild, the Dolphins, who finished 5-11, started five rookies — wide receiver Preston Williams, guards Deiter and Shaq Calhoun, defensive end Wilkins and cornerback Nik Needham. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guards
Noun
  • The juvenile bear’s wander across campus late Thursday and early Friday prompted an advisory to students and a search by UC Davis police and wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as Yolo County Animal Control.
    Allison Gibson, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
  • The state wardens and other cops who knew and worked with Bob Markle weren’t just honoring his memory by attending his funeral.
    Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
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
  • Iron ore is the primary commodity transported through the locks, followed by coal, stone and grain products.
    Victoria E. Freile, USA Today, 20 May 2026
  • Brown and Doubs would be locks to start.
    Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • Meyers said protecting against the intrusions is a constant battle and as companies tighten their defenses, operatives will shift tactics.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 14 May 2026
  • Conventional missile defenses can be expensive and limited in ammunition, while laser systems can continue operating as long as the ship has sufficient electrical power.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Inside, the crowd was impassioned but courteous; even the river guides had tucked in their shirts.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
  • The service Awasi’s personalized one-on-one guiding service works seamlessly in Patagonia, where highly experienced and well-trained guides are with you from pick-up to drop-off.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • On most plays, Division III defenders couldn’t even stay close.
    Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • Daigneault usually boasts an 11-man rotation that features the NBA’s reigning MVP (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), a Defensive Player of the Year runner up (Chet Holmgren) and three wing defenders (Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace).
    Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Car insurance protects you and other drivers from accidents, and it’s legally required for all drivers.
    Kate Tully Ellsworth, USA Today, 18 May 2026
  • Those laws sought to alter the reporting structure for the secretary or the directors in violation of Amendment 33 of the Arkansas Constitution, which protects the vested powers of constitutional boards, like the Board of Corrections, from usurpation by the governor, the General Assembly or both.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • There's no question that the United States has a credible threat of force, but the blockade really blockades ourselves as well as Iran.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • As the United States military blockades the Strait of Hormuz fuel prices rose above $100 dollars a barrel.
    Contessa Brewer,Dawn Giel, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Guards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guards. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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