1
as in word
a word or phrase that must be spoken by a person in order to pass a guard
the watchword is changed every day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in slogan
an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product)
their latest watchword turns up in every ad from that company
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 watchword
Uncertainty is the watchword, especially with a major Supreme Court ruling on tariffs on the horizon.
—
Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
There is a feeling that the American public has about their own finances, about their own wallet, about the idea of affordability, which, of course, has become the watchword.
—ABC News, 21 Dec. 2025
Affordability has become the new watchword in American politics and an emerging House energy bill marks a sharp shift away from the clean energy thrust of recent state laws and elevates pocketbook issues that are also on the minds of ratepayers and businesses.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Across Europe, strategic autonomy is the new watchword.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watchword
Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
There is a feeling that the American public has about their own finances, about their own wallet, about the idea of affordability, which, of course, has become the watchword.
—ABC News, 21 Dec. 2025
Affordability has become the new watchword in American politics and an emerging House energy bill marks a sharp shift away from the clean energy thrust of recent state laws and elevates pocketbook issues that are also on the minds of ratepayers and businesses.
—State House News Service, Boston Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Across Europe, strategic autonomy is the new watchword.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watchword
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchword
Noun
-
Sports Edition is The Athletic’s first-ever game, a daily puzzle designed for players to find connections between 16 words on the game board.—
Mark Cooper,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The application was to be accompanied by a fifteen-hundred-word example of the applicant’s prose and a letter saying why the applicant wanted to take the course.—
John McPhee,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These can produce questionably high numbers of carbon credits that can be sold for a lot of money to companies with carbon neutrality slogans on their in-flight napkins.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The Samsung exhibition stand features the prominent ″A new era of mobile agentic AI″ slogan by the South Korean company Samsung Electronics.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It should also be noted that 2026 was a banner year for blue dials.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The film has been produced by Rodrigo Teixeira under his RT Features banner and frequent collaborator Anthony Katagas under AK Productions alongside Raffaella Leone, Gary Farkas, Marco Perego, Carlo Salem and Andrea Bucko.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watchword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchword. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
