guarded

[ gahr-did ]

adjective

1. cautious; careful; prudent:

   to be guarded in one's speech.

   Synonyms: vigilant, circumspect, chary, watchful, wary

2. protected, watched, or restrained, as by a guard.

guarded

/ ˈɡɑːdɪd /

adjective

1. protected or kept under surveillance
2. prudent, restrained, or noncommittal

   a guarded reply

Derived Forms

• ˈguardedly, adverb
• ˈguardedness, noun

Other Word Forms

• guarded·ly adverb
• guarded·ness noun
• self-guarded adjective
• well-guarded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guarded¹

First recorded in 1500–10; guard + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Behind the main building on the compound, they found the smaller, heavily guarded, windowless structure made of brick and concrete where detainees were kept.

From BBC

First, the bureaucratic bottlenecks that the abundance Dems want to circumvent are closely guarded by progressive constituencies.

From Los Angeles Times

But the Clippers couldn’t close out the game in the fourth after Leonard missed a shot while being closely guarded by Draymond Green, sending the game into overtime tied at 111.

From Los Angeles Times

All of the natural resources are being guarded heavily because of climate-induced scarcity.

From Los Angeles Times

Blunt as his Charles is, he proves to be the most guarded of the trio; there are unsung stanzas of sadness in his eyes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cautious
• circumspect
• reserved
• restrained