on one's guard

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Nature here is so strong that one has to be on one’s guard to not be absorbed by it,” wrote Dodge.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2023

It has sniffed at such examples as "directives" for orders, "alerted" for being put on one's guard, "dis-O.K." for withdrawing approval, "deactivate" for abolishing.

From Time Magazine Archive

But I am well aware that arguments which draw their demonstrations from probabilities are idle; and, unless one is on one's guard against them, they are very deceptive, both in geometry and all other subjects.

From Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates by Cary, Henry

One can't be on one's guard every minute!

From Plays by Ostrovsky, Aleksandr Nicolaevich

Feeling that all extremes meet, and that, if one is not on one's guard, lowered fortunes may lead to baseness of soul, he kept a jealous watch on his pride.

From Les Misérables by Hapgood, Isabel Florence