as in vigilance
the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger
it was only her motherly watchfulness that saved the boy from an accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 watchfulness
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.
—
Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchfulness
Noun
-
Indeed, more firms are calling for vigilance.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack—and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Key Takeaways Both cold showers and plunges offer health benefits, such as improving mood and alertness.—
T'Keyah Bazin,
Verywell Health,
30 Oct. 2025
-
To measure my alertness, she’s decided to give me an hourly Psychomotor Vigilance Test, along with some word-fluency exercises and EEG brain scans.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
If there is a potential for temperatures to fall into these thresholds, a freeze watch may be issued a few days ahead of time.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Television cameras showed Schneider tapping at the watch on his wrist before throwing his arms up in apparent anger.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Air raid alerts were in place in Kyiv and surrounding districts for around an hour and a half before the air force called them off shortly after midnight on Sunday.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The online system allows text or email alerts to be set up whenever a new message arrives.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Creating the menu for the new restaurant took that same attentiveness.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Tilting your head toward another person indicates attentiveness and eagerness.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watchfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchfulness. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share