ward 1 of 2

noun

ˈwȯrd How to pronounce ward (audio)
Definition of wardnext
1
as in defense
means or method of defending frequent hand washing is an oft-recommended ward against the spread of common germs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in custody
responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something gained the ward of his cousin upon the death of her parents

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ward

2 of 2

verb

as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from vowed that he would take whatever measures were necessary to ward the nation's people

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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 ward
Noun
Nick had spent five days in a ward in Green Valley Hospital after writing a story in sixth grade about a boy who started a fire and died in it. — Tom Drury, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 From soil to hospital ward Spores are not only a curiosity of soil microbiology. — Canan Karakoç, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
Alicent first sent Daeron to ward at Oldtown, the seat of House Hightower, under the previous lord, Hobert Hightower (Steffan Rhodri). — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 13 July 2026 Try candles or sprays scented with citronella, lemon, or vanilla to ward them off. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ward
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ward
  1. defense
  2. custody
  3. protect
  4. ammunition
  5. care
  6. defend
  7. safeguard
  8. guard
Noun
  • That capability matters against some of the hardest targets facing modern air defenses.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The national Democratic effort to defeat Collins kept going; now the party is spending millions on an ad hitting her for a ProPublica story about her links to a corrupt defense contractor.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of defense
Noun
  • Ballard, who was arrested in a civilian district while off duty, will remain in the custody of the Japanese authorities.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Two suspects, both 16 years old, were later taken into custody, one of whom was detained after a foot pursuit and the assistance of a K-9.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of custody
Verb
  • But data, though personal and medical in nature, is not covered by HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which protects personal electronic health data in other contexts.
    — Sparkle Rainey Tribune News Service, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • These women pressured local judges and sheriffs, and would actively show up to courthouses, protecting potential lynching victims with thier own bodies.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of protect
Noun
  • The polling failure will serve to give further ammunition to the Brazilian right and the Bolsonaro camp, which have long alleged that the nation's leading pollsters turn in work biased in favor of Lula and his Workers Party.
    — David Unsworth, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The robots deliver food, medicine and ammunition to frontline.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of ammunition
Noun
  • Perinatal palliative care is an important and compassionate option.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The other was identified by REACH as Brad Sparks, a flight nurse who is still receiving medical care.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of care
Verb
  • Amid the backlash, the White House has defended the television spots as public service announcements meant to educate voters and promote patriotism.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In an earlier statement to TMZ, Seaver defended his messages to Nozell, saying they had been taken out of context.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of defend
Noun
  • Meanwhile, some safeguards were easy to turn off or circumvent.
    — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In 2023, Anthropic published the first version of its Responsible Scaling Policy, a document that laid out precise thresholds for when a model’s capabilities became dangerous enough to require additional safeguards.
    — Kevin Roose, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of safeguard
Verb
  • The only two Heat players unavailable for Saturday’s exhibition were forward Keshad Johnson (right hamstring strain) and guard Dru Smith (right calf strain).
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The terms have been kept closely guarded, in large part because competitors would insist on comparable deals.
    — Rachel Felder, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of guard

Browse Nearby Words

war cry
ward
warded
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Cite this Entry

“Ward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ward. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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