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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
C.j. Chivers Robert Fass Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
The recipe for Dreamland’s sauce is heavily guarded but restaurant owners have confirmed that mustard and jalapeno juice are both involved.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024
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
Though under Ukrainian control, the farmland and narrow roads were an almost uninhabited security buffer, guarded by checkpoints and often watched over by Russian surveillance drones and Lancets, loitering munitions that dive on targets from high above.
—C.j. Chivers Robert Fass Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024
The recipe for Dreamland’s sauce is heavily guarded but restaurant owners have confirmed that mustard and jalapeno juice are both involved.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for guarded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guarded
Adjective
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Subject to partisan litmus tests, military leaders might be wary of offering advice that contradicts the administration’s priorities.—
Risa Brooks,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Apr. 2025
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That might mean that a recession caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy would actually drive adoption of artificial intelligence by companies that have so far been wary of the tech.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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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Dawn Staley, who’s undefeated in NCAA finals, is cautious in taking that fact into consideration.—
Roberta F. Rodrigues,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Be cautious about fertilizing, as nitrogen can interfere with blooming.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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While Dylan’s first album with Columbia Records wasn’t a big commercial success, Cash, a Columbia Records artist, defended it, so the label didn’t drop Dylan, according to Gray.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
TIME,
25 Dec. 2024
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Moore, a former four-star recruit, has started seven games — including the College Playoff win over Indiana — and ranks fifth among freshmen nationally with 10 passes defended.—
Manny Navarro,
The Athletic,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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They could be stashed behind bedroom doors, tucked in the back of a closet, hidden in suitcases or barricaded behind books.—
Cody Godwin,
USA TODAY,
16 Dec. 2024
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An overnight standoff in Scottsdale resulted in the arrest of a gun-wielding man, but not before nearby apartments were evacuated and 64th Street was barricaded for hours.—
Mary Jo Pitzl,
The Arizona Republic,
15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the discussion around Golden this season has been muted, strained and careful all the way to the end, Monday’s dramatic 65-63 comeback win against Houston to seize the title.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
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Many target companies use different software and services—Google vs. Microsoft, on-premise vs. cloud, etc. Unraveling and consolidating these technologies is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution.—
David Van Ronk,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In these cases, being alert to others’ moods became a survival strategy.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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The Suncoast region is seeing particularly high alert levels.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guarded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guarded. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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