guardrail
noun
guard·rail
ˈgärd-ˌrāl 
: a railing guarding usually against danger
especially
: a barrier placed along the edge of a highway at dangerous points
Examples of guardrail in a Sentence
the car ran off the road, but fortunately only hit the guardrail
Recent Examples on the Web
In Congress, a Democratic uproar over the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by immigration authorities has delayed passage of a Department of Homeland Security spending bill, with Democrats wanting additional guardrails on officer conduct.
—
David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 15 Jan. 2026
Lee's bullishness comes as the Senate Agriculture and Banking committees are expected to hold hearings this month on a crypto market structure bill that offers guardrails for the industry.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
Others have generated images that appear to show minors, prompting criticism that there are not sufficient guardrails to prohibit the creation of child pornography.
—Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
For them, taxpayers are the guardrail that keeps public pensions firmly on track.
—Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guardrail
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Cite this Entry
“Guardrail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guardrail. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
guardrail
noun
guard·rail
ˈgär-ˌdrāl
: a protective railing placed along dangerous areas (as of a road)
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