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

Other Word Forms

• guardedly adverb
• guardedness noun
• self-guarded adjective
• well-guarded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guarded¹

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

Example Sentences

For an actor who remains famously guarded despite being a tabloid staple, “Jay Kelly” is perhaps the closest a viewer can get to Clooney’s thoughts on his own fame this side of a memoir.

From Salon

As guarded as Friedman and Roberts were, they couldn’t conceal the truth.

From Los Angeles Times

If I read the room right, there was a genuine, if somewhat guarded, sense of optimism from a welcoming crowd.

From Los Angeles Times

"Free speech is a British value - we've guarded it for centuries. But if you incite racist violence and hatred, that's not expressing concern - it's criminal."

From BBC

Beijing has been much more guarded than Washington.

From BBC

Related Words

• cautious 
• circumspect 
• reserved 
• restrained