observe

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verb

Definition of OBSERVE

1

to act according to the commands of <you must observe all the rules of this school, not simply the ones that meet with your personal approval>

Synonyms adhere (to), comply (with), conform (to), follow, goose-step (to), mind, observe

Related Words defer (to), submit (to), surrender (to), yield (to); accede (to), acquiesce (to), agree (to), assent (to); attend, hear, heed, listen (to), mark, note, notice, regard, take, watch

Near Antonyms disoblige; challenge, dare; refuse, renounce, repudiate; direct, lead; brush off, disregard, ignore, overlook, overpass, pass over, tune out, wink (at); dismiss, pooh-pooh (also pooh), shrug off; breach, break, infringe, transgress, violate; deride, flout, mock, scoff (at), scorn; mutiny (against), revolt (against); buck, combat, contest, dispute, fight, oppose, resist, withstand

Antonyms defy, disobey, rebel (against)

2

to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony <a time when few people in New England observed Christmas>

Synonyms celebrate, commemorate, observe

Related Words bless, consecrate, sanctify, solemnize; fete (or fête), honor, laud, praise; memorialize, remember

Near Antonyms blow off, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook

Antonyms break, transgress, violate

3

to keep one's eyes on <happily spent many hours observing the birds at the backyard feeder>

Synonyms eye, follow, observe

Related Words behold, look, perceive, regard, see, view; gape, gawk, gaze, glare, goggle, look on, peer, rubberneck, stare; guard, wake, ward; bird-dog, monitor, study; spy; espy, glance, glimpse, peek, peep

Near Antonyms blink, wink

4

to make a statement of one's opinion <“I think you might be mistaken,” he observed>

Synonyms allow, comment, editorialize, note, observe, opine, reflect, weigh in

Related Words commentate; articulate, express, say, speak, state, talk, tell, utter, verbalize, vocalize; conjecture, daresay, guess, speculate, suppose, surmise

5

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes <she observed that the weather had changed again>

Synonyms behold, catch, descry, discern, distinguish, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, remark, sight, spot, spy, view, witness

Related Words identify, make out, pick out, pick up; attend (to), consider, heed, mark, mind; study, watch; examine, inspect, scan, scrutinize, survey; glance (at), glimpse, peer (at)

Near Antonyms disregard, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over; miss, overlook

6

to take notice of and be guided by <generally observes the suggestions of the experts regarding baby care>

Synonyms follow, listen (to), mind, note, observe, regard, watch

Related Words consider, contemplate, mull, ponder, weigh; comply (with), conform (to), keep, obey, respect; attend (to), hark (to), hear, hearken (to); mark, notice, see

Near Antonyms brush (aside or off), discount, dismiss, gloss (over), gloze (over), neglect, pass over, pooh-pooh (also pooh), scorn, shrug off; defy, flout; slight, snub

Antonyms disregard, ignore, tune out