watch 1 of 2

verb

ˈwäch How to pronounce watch (audio)
Definition of watchnext
1
as in to observe
to keep one's eyes on I turned my head to continue watching the bird as it flew away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to follow
to take notice of and be guided by watch what I do when I run into that kind of problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to monitor
to pay continued close attention to (something) for a particular purpose watched the situation to see if it improved

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to care
to have an interest or concern for you should watch what you eat if you want a long, healthy life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to supervise
to take charge of especially on behalf of another hired a high school girl to watch their daughter until they got home from work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

watch

2 of 2

noun

1
as in guard
a person or group that watches over someone or something the neighborhood crime watch

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2
as in watchfulness
the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of activity, opportunity, or danger kept a watch over the sick baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lookout
an act or period of watching for signs of activity, danger, or opportunity the little boy kept watch at the window for signs of Santa and his sleigh

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 watch
Verb
Kiser’s husband, Brady Kiser, said he had been briefly distracted while watching Trigg while his wife was away. — Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2026 Swift swung by the Kit Kat Club to watch supermodel chum Cara Delevingne tread the boards as Sally Bowles in Cabaret in 2024. — Ben Jureidini, Vanity Fair, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
In the years since the watch first landed on the moon, the brand has produced a number of variations on the Speedmaster, which is where the Reduced comes in. — Tres Dean, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Sotheby’s 90 percent sell-through rates for its watches and jewelry sales have helped fuel its record first-half 2026 results for its luxury operation. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for watch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watch
  1. observe
  2. follow
  3. monitor
  4. care
  5. supervise
  6. guard
  7. watchfulness
  8. lookout
Verb
  • The greatest change was observed for women composers, whose employment has surged since 2007, when there were no women composers working across the top 100 movies.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Lunar eclipses are completely safe to observe with the naked eye, binoculars or telescopes.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of observe
Verb
  • This follows a successful season 18 which delivered double-digit growth over the previous season and set a new franchise premiere viewership record.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Two further extensions have since followed, the latest in January being an 18-month deal to take James to the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of follow
Verb
  • Between 60% and 70% of new Ebola cases are being detected among people who were not already being monitored as contacts, meaning health workers may only discover infections after patients become sick and have had opportunities to expose others.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Cardiff had their problems under Malaysian businessman Tan but not nearly as many as Wednesday, whom Storch had been advised to monitor 12 months before his eventual takeover.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of monitor
Verb
  • Nearly all report that the process contributes to burnout and delays care.
    — Richard Menger MD MPA, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • This is a woman who doesn't care what the disgusting LIBS think of her.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of care
Verb
  • Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid summoned a staffer to repair a troubling divot, while linebacker Terrel Bernard supervised.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The fish are raised in ponds fed with river water that flows off the Gombori mountains, monitored constantly to ensure proper egg development, and supervised until just the right time arrives for harvesting, salting, and packaging.
    — Felipe Riccio, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of supervise
Noun
  • Sun-protective clothing has long had an audience with swimmers, surfers and young children donning the trusty rash guard, as well as hikers and athletes.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Lamont over the past eight years has displayed visionary leadership and has adhered to Connecticut’s ‘fiscal guard rails’ rules limiting spending growth and directing surplus revenues toward reserves and pension debt.
    — Kevin McNabola, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of guard
Noun
  • For now, the consensus among Wall Street’s economists is less alarm than watchfulness.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But the book’s ruminative watchfulness is unsuccessfully conjugated in this overly sedate play with music, which has the feel of a song cycle, though sung by the fine cast with gorgeous, lonely sorrow.
    — Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 19 June 2026
Definition of watchfulness
Noun
  • Panoramic lookouts and majestic oaks alternate as the trail winds its way upward.
    — Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators issued a be-on-the-lookout for the vehicle, and a license-plate reader picked up a matching car nearby soon after.
    — Ana Maria Soler, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of lookout

Phrases Containing watch

Browse Nearby Words

wastrels
watch
watchdog
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Cite this Entry

“Watch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watch. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on watch

Nglish: Translation of watch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about watch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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