warden

noun

war·​den ˈwȯr-dᵊn How to pronounce warden (audio)
1
: one having care or charge of something : guardian, keeper
2
b
: the governor of a town, district, or fortress
c
: a member of the governing body of a guild
3
a
: an official charged with special supervisory duties or with the enforcement of specified laws or regulations
game warden
air raid warden
b
: an official in charge of the operation of a prison
c
: any of various British officials having designated administrative functions
warden of the mint
4
a
: one of two ranking lay officers of an Episcopal parish
b
: any of various British college officials whose duties range from the administration of academic matters to the supervision of student discipline

Examples of warden in a Sentence

the warden of the cemetery in his role as warden of the school, a principal must provide a safe environment for the students
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Colorado Department of Corrections placed four leaders — including the wardens overseeing three state prisons — on administrative leave on the same day earlier this month, an agency official confirmed this week. Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 19 Mar. 2025 But the state has delayed those transfers until at least March 31, said Ray Sanchez, an assistant deputy warden. Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2025 The Charles Street Jail, a cruciform structure that gave the warden a central view of the cells and the ability to isolate prisoners from one another, also influenced a lot of prison design across the United States since it was built in 1851, according to the Boston Landmark Commission. Abdallah Fayyad, Vox, 7 Mar. 2025 Falco will play the series regular role of Nina Hobbs, Anchor Bay’s new prison warden. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for warden

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wardein, from Anglo-French wardein, gardein, from warder to guard

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of warden was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Warden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/warden. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

warden

noun
war·​den ˈwȯrd-ᵊn How to pronounce warden (audio)
1
: one who has charge or care of something : guardian, keeper
2
: the governor of a town, district, or fortress
3
: an official charged with special duties or with the enforcement of specified laws or regulations
game warden
4
: an official in charge of a prison
5
a
: a lay officer of an Episcopal parish
b
: any of various British college officials

Legal Definition

warden

noun
war·​den
1
: an official charged with special supervisory duties or with the enforcement of specified laws or regulations
a game warden
2
: an official in charge of the operation of a prison
Etymology

Anglo-French wardein, gardein guardian, from warder, garder to guard, protect

More from Merriam-Webster on warden

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!