Guard against
verb
To take action to prevent something bad from happening.
You should guard against identity theft by protecting your personal information.

Often appears as...
- guard against identity theft
- guard against infection
verb
To prepare for the possibility of something happening typically negative.
He made sure to guard against any potential setbacks in his project.

Often appears as...
- guard against potential threats
- guard against future problems
Usage tips
Formal
Academic, Technical
verb
To preserve or retain something good or valuable.
We need to guard against losing our cultural heritage.

Often appears as...
- guard against cultural erosion
- guard against memory loss
verb
To take action to prevent something bad from happening.
You should guard against identity theft by protecting your personal information.

Often appears as...
- guard against identity theft
- guard against infection
verb
To prepare for the possibility of something happening typically negative.
He made sure to guard against any potential setbacks in his project.

Often appears as...
- guard against potential threats
- guard against future problems
Usage tips
Formal
Academic, Technical
verb
To preserve or retain something good or valuable.
We need to guard against losing our cultural heritage.

Often appears as...
- guard against cultural erosion
- guard against memory loss
Definition 1 of 3

Negative Outcome
Use 'guard against' when you want to prevent something unfavorable from occurring.

It's wise to guard against cyber attacks by using strong passwords.
Proactive Steps
It implies taking early or cautionary steps to stop a bad thing before it starts.

She installed an alarm system to guard against break-ins.
Ongoing Vigilance
The phrase suggests a continuous effort, not just a one-time action.

They guard against plagiarism in every project they undertake.
Negative Outcome
Use 'guard against' when you want to prevent something unfavorable from occurring.

It's wise to guard against cyber attacks by using strong passwords.
Proactive Steps
It implies taking early or cautionary steps to stop a bad thing before it starts.

She installed an alarm system to guard against break-ins.
Ongoing Vigilance
The phrase suggests a continuous effort, not just a one-time action.

They guard against plagiarism in every project they undertake.
Negative Outcome
Use 'guard against' when you want to prevent something unfavorable from occurring.

It's wise to guard against cyber attacks by using strong passwords.
Proactive Steps
It implies taking early or cautionary steps to stop a bad thing before it starts.

She installed an alarm system to guard against break-ins.
Ongoing Vigilance
The phrase suggests a continuous effort, not just a one-time action.

They guard against plagiarism in every project they undertake.
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