guardian

noun

ˈgär-dē-ən How to pronounce guardian (audio)
Definition of guardiannext
1
as in custodian
a person or group that watches over someone or something the state became his guardian when he was put into protective custody

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in keeper
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner the guardians of the summer estate awaited the return of the tycoon

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in protector
someone that protects the editor defended his newspaper's unrelenting exposure of government corruption, arguing that it is journalism's role to act as a guardian of democracy

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in caregiver
a person who has responsibility for the care of another when her parents died, her aunt became her legal guardian

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 guardian And the base and branches of a 400-year-old tree considered the guardian of a local village were charred in the flames. — Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 The adoption process was also riddled with problems – including inadequate screening of adoptive parents, neglect from guardians caring for the children, and cases where foreign adoptive parents were pressured to pay to be given a child. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025 The million-credit question in this scenario is what threat could endanger the Milky Way with the mighty Reapers as its guardians, but as a wise man once said, there's always a bigger fish. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025 Admission is free, but guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Check out the full schedule and additional information here. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for guardian
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guardian
  1. custodian
  2. keeper
  3. protector
  4. caregiver
  5. guard
  6. warden
  7. defender
  8. caretaker
Noun
  • Also striking in solidarity are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, which represents UC service workers, including medical technicians, therapists, custodians and food service workers.
    — Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
  • In the cellar, Tait gives his wines the oversight of a custodian.
    — Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • D’Onta Foreman had a 38-yard run on the second play of the drive, and Sam Darnold scored on an option keeper.
    — Dave Birkett, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2022
  • Egan’s 1-yard touchdown run on a fourth-down keeper pulled the Chargers within 28-26 with 4:57 left in the third quarter.
    — Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 26 Nov. 2022
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • You’re still seen as this boom-bap protector figure.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
  • At a minimum, the 202-pounder with 4.43 speed could become a devastating passing-down back — he’s considered the best pass protector among running backs — and a read-option monster with Daniels.
    — Ben Standig, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of protector
Noun
  • While men and women serve as caregivers, the burden largely falls on women, who comprise 59% of unpaid caregiving activities.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Yes, caregivers can claim their parents' medical expenses on their tax returns.
    — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of caregiver
Noun
  • Former Sixth Man of the Year Jazz combo guard Jordan Clarkson is done for the year with left plantar fasciitis.
    — Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Nets two-way guard Tyson Etienne scored his first career buckets early in the fourth quarter and fellow two-way Tosan Evbuomwan played for the first time in over a month.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of guard
Noun
  • There’s an exasperated receptionist and many indifferent bystanders, but even as Mina escalates the confrontation, guards and wardens barely bat an eye.
    — Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something.
    — Ashlee Conour, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of warden
Noun
  • Too often, defenders turn their heads to watch the ball, completely losing track of their man.
    — Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • The second straight clean sheet was also a point of pride for the back line, according to defender Izzy Rodriguez.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of defender
Noun
  • The superdog drags our hero to his Fortress of Solitude, where his robot caretakers get to work healing him with the power of Earth's yellow sun.
    — Mike Miller, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Moving forward, caretakers also hope to add additional accessibility features, like sloping ramps and more flat areas with mats.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of caretaker

Phrases Containing guardian

Browse Nearby Words

guardhouses
guardian
guardian angel
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guardian.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guardian. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on guardian

Nglish: Translation of guardian for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about guardian

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a game of hangman on lined paper
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All