lifeguard

American  

[lahyf-gahrd] / ˈlaɪfˌgɑrd /

noun

• lifeguards
  plural

1. an expert swimmer employed, as at a beach or pool, to protect bathers from drowning or other accidents and dangers.

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verb (used without object)

1. to work as a lifeguard.

lifeguard British  

/ ˈlaɪfˌɡɑːd /

noun

1. Also called: life-saver.  a person present at a beach or pool to guard people against the risk of drowning

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lifeguards
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lifeguard

First recorded in 1640–50; life + guard

Explanation

A lifeguard is a person whose job involves watching over swimmers and rescuing them if they're in trouble. You have to do more than just twirl your whistle to be a lifeguard; you'd better be a very good swimmer as well. At the beach and the pool, lifeguards wear swimsuits and carry whistles for catching the attention of rule-breakers, like kids who are dunking each other or jumping into the shallow end. Lifeguards sit perched on high chairs, ready to swim to the aid of someone who's drowning or injured. In the seventeenth century, a lifeguard was a "solider's bodyguard," and by the late 1800s the meaning changed to "watcher of bathers."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lifeguard lifeguards

Last September, a suspect stripped a bronze marker from a beachside memorial for lifeguard pioneer Vincent G. Moorhouse, who is credited with modernizing the local lifeguard service, in Huntington Beach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

A lifeguard rescued her mother, who didn’t remember the incident.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

The need for a lifeguard is not completely out of the realm of needed resources at the park.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

"It breaks my heart, to be fair. It's such a heartbreaking situation to watch," the former lifeguard said.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

The lifeguard was the one who saved him, curling three tentacles around Daniel to draw him away from a bad-tempered eel who had started shouting about “crazy kids” on his lawn.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness

Signs warn of dangerous conditions, and lifeguards often talk beachgoers out of entering the water if they appear inexperienced.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

All rescues involved San Diego Fire-Rescue Department lifeguards and personnel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

Meteorologist urged beachgoers to only swim near lifeguards and stay off rock jetties.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

Lifesaving Association warns prospective lifeguards that “a panicked victim, desperate for buoyant support, is a very real threat to an approaching rescuer.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

I don’t know how to, but I know that helps lifeguards.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle