guarding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "guarding" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where someone is protecting or watching over something or someone. Example: "The dog was guarding the house, ensuring that no intruders could enter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Thousands of soldiers and federal police were guarding polling stations where violence and calls for boycotts threatened to mar elections for 500 seats in the lower house of Congress, nine of 31 governorships and hundreds of mayors and local officials.

The Guardian

We also found no strong objection to the Strasbourg court, given the vital role it plays in guarding against abuses of the kind that plagued Europe in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Guardian - Opinion

Gunmen killed a soldier and police officer guarding the school, then took off with at least 100 students, a state security service official said.

The Guardian

A muscle guarding the Barksdale stash, soon to be taken out by Omar, describes how some "white motherfucker and his wife" came looking for the "po' house", which he took to mean one lived in by poor people until it turned out they were more interested in Edgar Allen Poe.

The Guardian

Think of the three young men mowed down by a hit and run driver while guarding a petrol station in Birmingham's Dudley Road.

The Guardian

Knowing what we know, thanks to Snowden, citizens everywhere must demand two things of their governments: "In the first place," we must say to our rulers, "you have a responsibility, a duty, to protect our rights by guarding us against the spying of outsiders".

The Guardian - Tech

"The atmosphere was electric," said an unemployed 51-year-old who was guarding his friend's cafe in Hackney.

The Guardian

They moved in after the Iraqi troops tasked with guarding it ran away.

The Guardian

But as the British Council plays host to over a thousand international higher education leaders at its Going Global conference today, it is a message worth repeating and one that needs to be heard and acted upon by the bureaucrats guarding our borders.

The Guardian

What a beauty he was, with pink waistcoat, highwayman's mask, chestnut wings, dove-grey skull-cap: the butcher bird, the red-backed shrike, guarding his larder.

The Guardian

You can also figure out what not to do by studying their attitudes to guarding themselves against health-related risks.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "guarding" when you want to convey a sense of active protection or vigilance over someone or something. For instance, "The soldiers were "guarding" the border" effectively communicates their protective role.

Common error

Avoid using "guarding" to describe a permanent attribute. Instead of saying "The wall is "guarding" the city", which implies continuous action, opt for "The wall protects the city" if you mean it as a general function.

Linguistic Context

The term "guarding" functions primarily as a verb in its present participle form, indicating an ongoing action of protecting or defending something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and widely used in English, often denoting a state of vigilance.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "guarding" functions as a verb, denoting active protection or supervision. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness and common usage across diverse contexts. It is most frequently found in news and media, but also appears in formal business and scientific contexts. When aiming for alternatives, consider "protecting", "defending", or "watching over" to convey similar meanings with slight nuance. While commonly used, remember that "guarding" signifies an ongoing action, not a static condition. Understanding these points will help you employ "guarding" effectively in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

protecting

This alternative emphasizes the act of shielding someone or something from harm or danger.

defending

Focuses on resisting an attack or opposition to maintain safety or position.

watching over

Implies a sense of care and supervision to ensure safety and well-being.

overseeing

Suggests a supervisory role with the responsibility of monitoring and directing.

securing

Emphasizes making something safe and protected from potential threats.

patrolling

Involves regularly moving around an area to maintain order and prevent problems.

shielding

Highlights the act of creating a barrier to protect from harm.

safeguarding

Implies taking measures to ensure the preservation and security of something valuable.

supervising

Focuses on directing and controlling activities to ensure they are done correctly and safely.

monitoring

Emphasizes the continuous observation of something to detect changes or issues.

FAQs

How to use "guarding" in a sentence?

"Guarding" is used as a verb form to describe the act of protecting or keeping watch over something. Example: "The security guard is "guarding" the entrance."

What can I say instead of "guarding"?

You can use alternatives like "protecting", "defending", or "watching over" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "guarding" or "to guard"?

Both forms are correct, but they serve different grammatical roles. "Guarding" is a present participle or gerund, while "to guard" is an infinitive. Choose the form that fits the grammatical structure of your sentence. For example, "His job is to guard the premises", or "He is guarding the premises".

What's the difference between "guarding" and "securing"?

"Guarding" implies continuous protection or watchfulness, whereas "securing" suggests making something safe or fastening it against potential threats. "Guarding" is active surveillance, while "securing" is about ensuring a state of safety.