unguarded

American  

[uhn-gahr-did] / ʌnˈgɑr dɪd /

adjective

1. not guarded; unprotected; undefended.

   Synonyms:

   defenseless

2. open; frank; guileless.

   an unguarded manner.

3. exposed to attack or capture by the opponent without recourse by the player, as a card, chess piece, etc..

   an unguarded queen of clubs; an unguarded pawn.

4. not cautious or discreet; careless.

   In an unguarded moment he had told her about his affair.

   Synonyms:

   indiscreet

5. without a safeguard, as a cover, barrier, or shield, for protection.

   an unguarded buzz saw.

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unguarded British  

/ ʌnˈɡɑːdɪd /

adjective

1. unprotected; vulnerable

2. guileless; open; frank

3. incautious or careless

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Other Word Forms

• unguardedly adverb
• unguardedness noun

Etymology

Origin of unguarded

First recorded in 1585–95; un- ¹ + guarded

Example Sentences

The government blamed the disorder on a ragged retreat by the Syrian Democratic Forces that left the camp unguarded for hours and made it difficult to re-establish security.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

The French international was reduced to tears after pouncing on a Pope error to roll into an unguarded net.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

Yet “True Colors” became a hit anyway, topping the Hot 100 for two weeks thanks in large part to Lauper’s deeply unguarded vocal performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 2025

The unguarded moment was captured on a livestream carried by Chinese state TV as the two leaders and North Korea's Kim Jong Un walked together through China's historic Tiananmen Square.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

And if there were, it meant a long diversion along the river until we found an unguarded bridge.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Related Words

• candid
• indiscreet
• offhand
• spontaneous