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

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Etymology

Origin of lifeguard

First recorded in 1640–50; life + guard

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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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

At a local pool she joined a group of teenagers and received her lifeguard certification.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Another lifeguard, Aaron Bohnen, helped get them both back to shore.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

"It was pretty much nonstop from sunrise to sunset," said the lifeguard, sporting the red trunks made famous on the TV show "Baywatch."

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

The lifeguard immediately launched a boat to search for Eugene.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Newport Beach lifeguards rescued him around 11:30 a.m., he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026

“Make sure you check in with lifeguards to know the conditions, to know if it’s safe to swim,” said Kristan Lund, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

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

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

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle

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