custodians

plural of custodian
1
as in keepers
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner the custodian made his usual rounds of the building to make sure that everything was OK

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2
3
as in defenders
someone that protects we must regard ourselves as custodians of the Earth so that its natural resources may be enjoyed by many generations to come

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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 custodians Zuckerberg is referencing OpenAI and Anthropic, which operate on the premise that hyper-smart AI is both inevitable and apocalyptic—and therefore safe only in the hands of the wisest custodians (themselves). Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2026 Two school custodians have been found shot dead in a Chicago elementary school, according to Chicago ABC station WLS. David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Two custodians were found shot to death Monday inside a Chicago elementary school after one of them allegedly killed his co-worker before turning the weapon on himself, according to reports. Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Two custodians were killed in a shooting at a Chicago Public Schools elementary school on Monday afternoon near Midway International Airport. Todd Feurer, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 In practice, this may include such items as custody authority, storage of private keys, use of third-party custodians, and reporting of unrealized gains or losses in quarterly reports. Matthew Kayser, Ascend Agency, 10 Aug. 2026 Starting in 2011, the IRS required brokers and custodians to report cost-basis and holding-period information for stock and mutual fund investors on Form 1099-B. Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 Best for higher net-worth investors Augusta Precious Metals sells gold and silver directly, and also works with third-party custodians to manage your IRA. Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Not that there is a Green Church to worship in now; satellite images show that it has been destroyed by its new custodians, wiped from the map like Artsakh itself. Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for custodians
Noun
  • That could bode well for 6-foot-4 keepers Andersen and Jarry, while Levi’s 6-foot frame, combined with his professional inexperience, could hold him back.
    Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Occupied by volunteer lighthouse keepers who live in the keeper’s quarters each summer, the lighthouse is only accessible by a 2-mile hike (4 miles round trip) along a sandy lakeside trail.
    Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • As families prepare for the first day of classes, parents and guardians are gathering school supplies, arranging carpools and figuring out how their children will get to and from school.
    Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Parents are naming guardians for their children in case they are detained or deported, while others have stopped working, shopping or even leaving home, relying instead on neighbors and churches.
    Maria Santana, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Most of the Giants’ defenders gathered in the infield, hoping for the safe call to be overturned.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • After a pair of Rapids defenders allowed the ball to drop in the center of the area, Achouri slammed home the loose ball.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Landon built relationships with the janitors and grounds crew, always stopping to chat.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 10 July 2026
  • Some hospital staff, like janitors and cafeteria workers, still make minimum wage.
    Cassie McGrath, Fortune, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • Police reinforcements were called late Saturday to the temporary accommodation center for asylum seekers in Sintiki, a few kilometers (miles) from the Bulgarian border, after migrants threw rocks at guards, according to police.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Parents will be dropping off students, children will be navigating new routes, and nearly 250 city crossing guards will be out each day to help families cross safely.
    Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Minimal Phone will also throw in $100 worth of accessories, including a case, screen protectors, and a 27W fast charger.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Layered on top is rhetoric, from the highest levels of government, that casts career scientists as adversaries rather than protectors.
    Daniel Jernigan, STAT, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Some turned on her caretakers, demanding more updates and accusing them of withholding information.
    Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Yee decided her favorite nook was the Picture Room, where the museum’s caretakers unveiled Soane’s choicest paintings stowed behind clandestine folding panes.
    Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The encounter fortunately ended without anyone being injured, but Parks Canada wardens were able to identify the hikers after the video was posted online and racked up millions of views.
    Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
  • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department — Game wardens, rescue boat teams and helicopters with hoist capability to assist with water rescues.
    Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 14 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Custodians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custodians. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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