guard 1 of 2

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2
as in defensive
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 lock
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 guide
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

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guard

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word guard different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of guard are defend, protect, safeguard, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

In what contexts can defend take the place of guard?

The words defend and guard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When can protect be used instead of guard?

While the synonyms protect and guard are close in meaning, protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

Where would safeguard be a reasonable alternative to guard?

In some situations, the words safeguard and guard are roughly equivalent. However, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

When is shield a more appropriate choice than guard?

The words shield and guard can be used in similar contexts, but shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

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 guard
Noun
Austin Corbett hadn’t played a single snap at left guard in five years. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2025 If Edwards is unable to take the court on Wednesday night, backup shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo will likely be inserted into head coach Chris Finch's starting lineup alongside Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
And Curry is still really hard to guard. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025 Two enemy soldiers are tasked with the farcical mission of guarding a middle-of-nowhere border in the remote desert. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guard
Noun
  • Some have lost a parent or guardian and suddenly must navigate a world that feels uncertain and overwhelming.
    Laura Rivera, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Both biological parents and those with parental responsibility over children, including legal guardians and foster parents, would be eligible for the exemption.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The sounds and images of heavy construction equipment ripping apart one of the most historic places in the United States, though, have put the White House on the defensive.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Zelenskyy, who is expected to push for more military support, including long-range Tomahawk missiles that could be used to strike deep inside Russia, said the talks showed Putin was on the defensive.
    Henry Austin, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Keeping this much of the Hot 100’s top slots on lock for the second week is unheard of, literally—this is the first time an artist occupied 12 of the Hot 100’s top 14 spots in the second week of their album’s release.
    Katie Atkinson, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Court documents show Bass and Randle knew the window was a safety hazard since June 2023, and that their children had been able to bypass the locks since December.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Their talks are expected to cover tariffs, regional security and Japan’s defense spending, all points of tension in recent months.
    Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Prabhat Ranjan Mishra Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • For a more traditional bar experience, take a look at our etiquette guide to British pubs.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Like Super, the public defender, Stephan agreed that the county’s approach is a work in progress.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Bearzot didn’t select a replacement for Antognoni, instead playing both Gentile and Bergomi and switching to a system featuring five defenders in front of 40-year-old goalkeeper Dino Zoff, the side’s captain.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the below example, against Real Oviedo’s zonal scheme protecting the six-yard box, three players run away from goal and one to the near-post to attack Marcus Rashford’s outswinger, resulting in Araujo scoring.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • In some cases, sportsbooks have taken down odds on certain events to protect against manipulation.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • To test if this really was a White House operation, Grace and I followed one of the trucks out of the golf course, past the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, to a path that normally leads to the White House but was blockaded.
    Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Britain was France’s most persistent opponent and was determined to control the seas, especially in the face of Napoleon’s efforts to blockade the country.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guard. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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