unguarded — not protected or defended; careless or not cautious
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: not protected or defended; careless or not cautious
Pronunciation (IPA): /ʌnˈɡɑːrdɪd/
Example Sentences
- The celebrity's unguarded selfie revealed her messy bedroom in the background.
- He left his laptop unguarded at the coffee shop and it was stolen.
- During the unguarded interview, the politician accidentally admitted he had never read the bill.
unguarded
ADJECTIVE[/ʌnˈɡɑːrdɪd/]
not protected or defended; careless or not cautious
In an unguarded moment, she laughed honestly and revealed her true feelings to him.
What was once regarded becomes discarded when left unguarded
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'unguarded' emerged in Middle English through the combination of the Germanic prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') with 'guard', derived from Old French 'garde' (protection, watchfulness). The term literally means 'not protected' or 'not watched over', and developed to describe both physical states of being unprotected and figurative states of being careless or off one's guard.
Breakdown
un- (not, negation) + guard (to protect, from Old French garde) + -ed (past participle suffix forming an adjective). The structure creates an adjective meaning 'not protected' or 'lacking caution'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The celebrity's unguarded selfie revealed her messy bedroom in the background.”
“He left his laptop unguarded at the coffee shop and it was stolen.”
“During the unguarded interview, the politician accidentally admitted he had never read the bill.”
“Her unguarded smile showed genuine happiness for the first time.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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