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 Association of American Medical Colleges should coordinate a voluntary sentinel system across member institutions.
—
Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for sentinel
Robert B. Shpiner, STAT, 13 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for sentinel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sentinel
Noun
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Of course, none of this would be possible if the DOJ and Blanche happened to remember the department’s own function as the ostensible guardian of the rule of law.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
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In California, babies between 15 days and 6 months can only work for 20 minutes at a time and spend two hours on set per day; also mandatory is a nurse, a guardian and a studio teacher, who ensures the baby’s wellbeing is looked after.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Second-year guard Sarah Ashlee Barker scored the game-winner on a put-back right before time expired, and pandemonium ensued.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Ross described strict rules and constant shouting from guards and condescending treatment at the detention facility in Louisiana.—
Jade le Deley,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The union, which represents animal care specialists, patrol officers, custodians, groundskeepers, patrol officers, aides and seasonal workers, said the zoo's last contract offer would have taken away their health care plan without providing a comparable alternative.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
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The report scored 542 tokenized assets on a scale from wrapper, where a token represents a claim on an offchain asset held by a custodian, to native, where issuance, redemption, and custody all happen fully onchain.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
6 May 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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Baseman said the nearly 21-year-old character, named after his childhood crush, is an all-knowing keeper of secrets and represents acceptance.—
Iris Kwok
May 12,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Lloris entered with eight shutouts through his first 10 starts, posting three more clean sheets than any other keeper in the league.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 May 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 14 May. 2026.
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