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Synonyms

guard duty

American  

noun

  1. a military assignment involving watching over or protecting a person or place or supervising prisoners.


Etymology

Origin of guard duty

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The military has even introduced a new type of guard duty, where soldiers assigned as sky watchers take turns spotting incoming drones.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 24, 2026

Jonathan Romain, the former rabbi of Maidenhead synagogue in Berkshire, now regularly spends his Shabbat mornings standing outside it on guard duty.

From BBC May 2, 2026

Pereira had finished his shift on guard duty at Fort Tiuna, where Maduro was sheltered that night.

From Barron's Jan. 19, 2026

He has his morning cup of coffee out there while Daisy sniffs around, works her guard duty shifts, and takes in the million-dollar view, which stretches all the way to Santa Catalina Island.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 27, 2025

A couple of tents had been set up by the rocks for guard duty.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

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