fence 1 of 2

noun

ˈfen(t)s How to pronounce fence (audio)
Definition of fencenext
as in wall
a physical object that blocks the way the only way to prevent motorists from trying to use that unsafe bridge is to put a fence across the road leading to it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fence

2 of 2

verb

as in to protect
to drive danger or attack away from had worked as a bodyguard, fencing a number of pop stars at big events

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fence
Noun
There were no fences or other land-ownership demarcations on the steep slope covered by grass, stunted junipers, and large rocks. — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026 The other vehicle in the crash, a white Chevrolet, was lying on its side off the road and might have collided with a fence. — Iris Kwok aug. 24, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
The shoreline below has been fenced off for more than two years, pending the removal of old wood pilings. — Jake Offenhartz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 But since early July, the park at the intersection of Southeast 10th Street and Brickell Plaza has been fenced off, as the developer that owns the green space prepares to redevelop the site. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fence
  1. wall
  2. protect
  3. barricade
  4. defend
  5. barrier
  6. guard
  7. shield
  8. safeguard
Noun
  • At Sharma-Crawford’s office, his assistant posted three separate calendars to the office wall.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Security cameras on the Chinese side of the border captured people running from a wall of debris as floodwaters rushed through a border crossing, sweeping away vehicles and buildings.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of wall
Verb
  • Play was suspended on the outside courts, but the roofs could close on Armstrong and Ashe, protecting Bublik and Wolf, and Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone, from the elements.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Families who answer those questions early protect both generations.
    — Jon Sabes, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of protect
Noun
  • After marching from Crocker Park in downtown Sacramento, the protest groups engaged in verbal and physical altercations across a barricade formed by law enforcement officers.
    — Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In another affidavit, Ernani Bernardi, who represented Panorama City on the City Council, described how authorities had put up a barricade blocking an entrance to Blythe Street.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of barricade
Verb
  • Alonso is leaning into Chelsea’s strength — the transitional attacking power of his front three — and working on protecting the weakness, giving up too much space for his team to defend.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also defended the decision to increase bond purchases earlier last month, after investor Stanley Druckenmiller criticized the move.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of defend
Noun
  • The two sides were also in touch on monitoring a barrier lake that risks flooding and imperiling rescue workers.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The lab behind the glass barrier is a laboratory automation installation, built around a conveyor system.
    — Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of barrier
Verb
  • The inner workings of these buildings are guarded like state secrets.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Anthropic closely guards its training data sources, but music publishers think the court should require more transparency.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of guard
Verb
  • Central fights include how to divvy up cap-and-invest climate dollars, whether to shield utilities from wildfire liability, and whether to roll back controversial shortcuts to environmental review for industrial projects.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike Bitcoin, Zcash allows users to shield transaction details, such as the sender, recipient, and transaction amount, using zero-knowledge cryptography.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of shield
Verb
  • The Crown Prosecution Service declined the offer to safeguard the complainants, the filing says.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Kelby Woodard, forest and mitigation program manager for Jefferson County, said protecting forests also helps safeguard water resources.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of safeguard

Phrases Containing fence

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Cite this Entry

“Fence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fence. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fence

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fence

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