SAFEGUARDS Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

safeguards 1 of 2

noun

plural of safeguard

as in protections

means or method of defending with these safeguards in place, no one should be able to break into our computers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in precautions

a measure taken to preclude loss or injury safeguards that were intended to assure our security, but not at the expense of our liberty

Synonyms & Similar Words

safeguards

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of safeguard

as in protects

to drive danger or attack away from sheepdogs safeguard the flock from attacks by wolves

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 safeguards

Noun

Some said such an outcome is likely if the industry fails to impose adequate safeguards, while others characterized it as vague and far-fetched. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 When delivery pressure conflicts with material customer or operational risk, security should explain the failure scenario, identify necessary safeguards and help departments choose a practical path forward. — Manny Khan, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 However, the incident raises an uncomfortable question about what happens when AI agents interact with websites and public services without adequate safeguards. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Second, the organizations called on the EU to make better use of existing trade defense instruments, such as anti-dumping measures and anti-subsidy rules and safeguards. — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 The researchers are calling for regulations and safeguards at the policy level. — Lissa Soep, Vox, 17 Oct. 2026 The council also pressed Castillo Madrid about other areas of misuse with Grok and the types of safeguards that were in place. — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 When Anthropic released Claude Opus 4 with a system card saying the model was too capable to be released without safeguards, an open-weight competitor matched most of its benchmark performance within three weeks. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 They are expected to press the company on data privacy, safeguards against potential harm and protections for whistleblowers. — Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Verb

Huang wants a financing and creative setup that safeguards Yen’s voice and the film’s Taiwanese character. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 Nearly everyone safeguards their former glory, earned or not. — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 Nearly eight in ten Florida voters support maintaining our long-standing school vaccine safeguards. — Kas Miller, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026 Summary The federal government traditionally safeguards investors through disclosure, oversight, and enforcement. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 The addition of Skubal further safeguards them at a time when Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are working their way back from injuries and Justin Wrobleski has already surpassed his career high in innings. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Most governments have so far balked at putting in place mandatory rules about what safeguards companies developing advanced AI systems need to build into their models or have in place internally to guard against losing control of AI agents. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 22 July 2026 As development surrounding Midewin continues, Egan said protecting these buffer areas also safeguards benefits that extend beyond wildlife. — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026 According to the State Controller's Office, the state safeguards unclaimed property on behalf of individuals, businesses, and public agencies. — Brad Hamilton, CBS News, 16 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for safeguards

Noun

The measure extends those protections to public ways within 1,000 feet of court facilities, while preserving an exception for arrests made under a valid judicial warrant.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
The allegations against him remain unproven, and he is entitled to the full protections of the United States Constitution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of protections

Noun

Unlike Hamas, which deliberately targets Israeli civilians, the IDF takes all feasible precautions to mitigate harm to civilians and operates under a structured targeting framework designed to ensure the identification of lawful military objectives.

— Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Like several other witnesses so far in the trial, Holmes testified that Farwell was critical of COVID pandemic precautions, including masks.

— Matt Schooley, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of precautions

Verb

The Idaho Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971, protects consumers from false, deceptive or misleading representations, advertising, pricing and contracts.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2026
Rules finalized in 2024 also provided recognition that Title IX protects LGBTQ+ students and made live hearings optional.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of protects

Noun

For now, the study identifies a previously underappreciated part of the immune system that could help overcome one of SCLC’s most persistent defenses.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
The restriction disrupted operations, including making the slower-flying attack drones easier targets for Russian defenses.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of defenses

Verb

Continue reading … SOUR NOTE — Hayley Williams unleashes vulgar insult at DHS after agency defends ICE officers.

— , FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Hugo Weaving plays a brilliant but disgraced attorney, drowning in debt, who reluctantly defends an allegedly dangerous dog, battling to save its life.

— Emily Longeretta, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of defends

Noun

Dozens of armored cops were still standing guard, shields raised, after a night when 500 people were taken into custody in the French capital alone.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Swarms of police officers descended from helicopters and beat them with billy clubs and metal shields.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of shields

Verb

Along with Adebayo, guards Pelle Larsson (illness) and Dru Smith (right calf strain) weren’t available for the Heat on Wednesday.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
The router comes with Advanced Router Protection, which guards your router, and a 30-day trial for Netgear Armor Security.

— George Yang, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of guards

Noun

Relations and exchange programs between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying ammunitions and troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
At least 37 people have been killed and dozens wounded after a Russian drone attack on an ammunitions warehouse triggered a large fire and multiple explosions that lasted for hours in a residential area near Kyiv.

— Svitlana Vlasova, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of ammunitions

Browse Nearby Words

safeguarding

safeguards

safekeeping

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Safeguards.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/safeguards. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of safeguards

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vocation

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes