Guarded

Cautious and reserved in behavior or speech, keeping a careful watch for possible dangers, threats, or surprises., Having been protected or shielded from something undesirable., Being controlled or managed with caution and prudence.

Guarded - Meanings

Cautious and reserved in behavior or speech, keeping a careful watch for possible dangers, threats, or surprises.

Example: She was guarded in her responses during the interview, revealing only minimal information.

Usage: formalContext: professional settings, interviews, formal discussions

Note: This meaning implies being careful and restrained in communication.

Having been protected or shielded from something undesirable.

Example: The documents were kept in a guarded safe to prevent unauthorized access.

Usage: formalContext: security measures, confidential information

Note: This meaning suggests a level of protection or security.

Being controlled or managed with caution and prudence.

Example: The company's finances were under guarded supervision to prevent misuse.

Usage: formalContext: financial management, sensitive operations

Note: This meaning implies careful oversight and control.

Guarded's synonyms

cautious

Cautious means being careful to avoid potential risks or dangers.

Example: She was cautious with her words around strangers.

Note: While being guarded implies more of a defensive or protective stance, being cautious focuses on being careful to prevent harm.

reserved

Reserved means holding back or keeping one's thoughts or feelings to oneself.

Example: He was reserved in sharing personal information with his colleagues.

Note: While guarded suggests a sense of protection or defensiveness, being reserved focuses more on holding back or being restrained in communication.

watchful

Watchful means being alert and observant, especially for potential dangers or threats.

Example: The security guard was watchful of any suspicious activity in the area.

Note: While guarded implies a sense of caution or protection, being watchful emphasizes being attentive and observant.

vigilant

Vigilant means being keenly watchful and alert to detect and avoid danger.

Example: The police officer remained vigilant during the night patrol.

Note: While guarded suggests a sense of caution or protection, being vigilant emphasizes being extremely attentive and watchful, often in the context of potential threats or risks.

Guarded expressions, common phrases

on guard

Being watchful or cautious, especially to protect oneself or others.

Example: He remained on guard during the entire night to protect the house.

Note: This phrase implies actively being alert and prepared for potential threats or dangers.

guarded response

A response that is cautious, restrained, or not fully revealing.

Example: She gave a guarded response when asked about her future plans.

Note: This phrase indicates a reserved or careful manner of responding, often to avoid revealing too much information.

guarded optimism

Feeling hopeful or positive, but with a sense of caution or reservation.

Example: Despite the challenges, there is a sense of guarded optimism about the project's success.

Note: This phrase reflects a hopeful outlook tempered by awareness of potential obstacles or uncertainties.

keep one's guard up

To remain cautious or vigilant, especially in anticipation of possible threats or deception.

Example: After the previous scam, she decided to keep her guard up when dealing with unfamiliar callers.

Note: This phrase emphasizes the continuous act of staying alert and defensive to prevent being caught off guard.

guarded secret

A secret that is carefully protected and not widely known.

Example: The contents of the letter were a closely guarded secret within the family.

Note: This phrase suggests that the secret is intentionally kept confidential and restricted to a select few.

guarded behavior

Behavior that is cautious, reserved, or restrained in expression.

Example: His guarded behavior at the party indicated that he was uncomfortable in social settings.

Note: This phrase describes a manner of behaving that is careful, perhaps due to a lack of trust or uncertainty.

Guarded everyday (slang) expressions

Be on your guard

To be cautious and watchful for potential danger or threats.

Example: Be on your guard against pickpockets in crowded areas.

Note: Similar to 'guarded' in the sense of being cautious, but specifically emphasizes being vigilant against possible harm.

Guard up

To be defensive or alert in anticipation of potential threats or deception.

Example: You need to keep your guard up during negotiations to avoid being taken advantage of.

Note: While 'guarded' implies a general sense of caution, 'guard up' suggests actively protecting oneself against specific risks.

Guarded front

Hiding one's true thoughts or emotions behind a facade of caution or reserve.

Example: Despite his friendly demeanor, he maintained a guarded front to protect his true feelings.

Note: This expression emphasizes the idea of putting on a front or appearance of being cautious rather than openly expressing one's feelings.

Guarded language

Choosing words carefully to conceal or protect sensitive information.

Example: She used guarded language to avoid revealing any sensitive information.

Note: Refers specifically to the cautious selection of words to prevent disclosing information rather than a general sense of caution.

Guarded trust

Exercising caution and wariness in placing trust in others, especially after negative experiences.

Example: After being betrayed before, she had guarded trust in new relationships.

Note: Focuses on the deliberate and cautious nature of placing trust after previous trust has been broken.

Guarded - Examples

The castle was heavily guarded by armed soldiers.

She was guarded about her personal life and didn't share much with others.

The company's financial information is highly guarded and only accessible to top executives.

Guarded grammar

Guarded - Verb (Verb) / Verb, past participle (Verb, past participle)

Lemma: guard

Conjugations

Noun, plural (Noun, plural): guards, guard

Noun, singular or mass (Noun, singular or mass): guard

Verb, past tense (Verb, past tense): guarded

Verb, gerund or present participle (Verb, gerund or present participle): guarding

Verb, 3rd person singular present (Verb, 3rd person singular present): guards

Verb, base form (Verb, base form): guard

Verb, non-3rd person singular present (Verb, non-3rd person singular present): guard

Syllabification and Stress

guarded Contains 2 syllables: guard • ed

Phonetic transcription: ˈgär-dəd

guard ed , ˈgär dəd (The red syllable is stressed)

Guarded - Importance and usage frequency

The word frequency and importance index indicates how often a word appears in a given language. The smaller the number, the more frequently the word is used. The most frequently used words typically range from about 1 to 4000.

guarded: ~ 4300 (Common).

This importance index helps you focus on the most useful words during your language learning process.

Back

Search area