as in guardian
a person or group that watches over someone or something
a lone sentinel kept watch over the fort
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sentinel
The gas Citizens Energy serves customers, typically methane, is naturally odorless so the company adds mercaptan, which smells like sulfur or rotten eggs, to serve as a sentinel in case there's a gas leak.
—
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 10 Dec. 2025
That majestic array of green-gray gneiss sentinels may be the most conceptually elaborate Neolithic monument in Europe.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Arizona’s iconic saguaro cactuses seem like immobile sentinels standing watch over the Sonoran desert landscape.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
The world’s lakes are considered sentinels of climate change and are warming dramatically as global temperatures rise.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sentinel
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 10 Dec. 2025
That majestic array of green-gray gneiss sentinels may be the most conceptually elaborate Neolithic monument in Europe.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Arizona’s iconic saguaro cactuses seem like immobile sentinels standing watch over the Sonoran desert landscape.
—John Leos, AZCentral.com, 10 Nov. 2025
The world’s lakes are considered sentinels of climate change and are warming dramatically as global temperatures rise.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sentinel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentinel
Noun
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Time spent in hair, makeup and wardrobe count as work, and a parent or guardian must stay close to the child on set.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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The law also expands background checks for adults living with guardians and would create an independent advocate position in the Attorney General's Office to handle complaints and review child welfare practices.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Magic guard opened 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, hitting two 3-pointers in the final three minutes of the second quarter.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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Much like former head coach Tom Thibodeau, Mike Brown prefers to use McBride off the ball as a spot-up shooter — but also as a guard-to-guard screen setter.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The midcentury abode was transferred to custodians of the McCann Trust that holds the property in 2022 and, after hitting the market April 10 for nearly $3 million, a contingent offer for its sale has already been accepted.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2026
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Animal care specialists, groundskeepers, patrol officers, seasonals, aides, and custodians represented by Teamsters Local 727 are seeking pay increases and minimum staffing guarantees from the Chicago Zoological Society, which operates the zoo.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the letter accompanying Knight's warrant to the state prison warden, DeSantis appeared to mistakenly reference Hitchcock instead of Knight.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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The most visible woman at the company, though, had long been Donaldson’s mother, Sue Parisher, a former military-prison warden who led the company’s HR department.—
Irin Carmon,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This is a super-interesting profile by Tom Burrows on Paris Saint-Germain’s Matvey Safonov, the Russian ‘keeper who is seeing them through the second half of the season.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Dortmund ‘keeper Gregor Kobel denied Cyriaque Irié a consolation goal.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But a Marine sentry was spotted outside the West Wing most of the day Saturday, usually a sign the president is at work.—
James LaPorta,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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The soldiers would have stayed as sentries before and after the performance, symbolically guarding the legacy of Taiwan’s founder.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sentinel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sentinel. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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