off guard

Idioms  

1. Also, off one's guard. Not watchful, easily surprised. It is often put as catch (or be caught) off guard, meaning “take (or be taken) by surprise.” For example, The securities analyst was caught off guard by that financial report, or With any luck the boss will be off guard when I come in late. [Late 1600s] The antonym, on guard or on one's guard, meaning “watchful or prepared, especially to defend oneself,” was first recorded in 1577. For example, In this crowd we must be on guard against pickpockets, or I'm always on my guard when I'm asked how I voted.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

off guard

Even so, the outrage seemed to catch everyone off guard.

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026

But the machinery he dislikes was built in 1999, when the Fed first began signaling a hike before it moved because it didn’t want to catch markets off guard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Dangerous conditions are expected to continue along Southern California beaches this week, with officials warning swimmers to be mindful of life-threatening rip tides and sneaker waves that could catch beachgoers off guard.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026

AI's rapid acceleration and the concentration of influence in the hands of a few companies have caught governments off guard, said Mona Sloane, a professor at the University of Virginia.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

After the marble and dark-wood coolness of the library, I was caught off guard by the bright sun as I burst outside.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu