1. protective barriers along the edge of a road, bridge, or elevated structure to prevent vehicles from going off the side
2. protective measures, rules, or safeguards designed to prevent problems or ensure safety
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The mountain highway has sturdy guardrails to protect drivers from steep drops.
• After the accident, the city installed new guardrails along the bridge.
• The guardrails were damaged in the collision but prevented the car from falling into the ravine.
• We need better guardrails in our financial system to prevent another crisis.
• The company put guardrails in place to ensure data privacy compliance.
• Parents often serve as guardrails for their teenagers’ decision-making.
• The new policy includes guardrails to prevent abuse of the system.