watcher

noun

watch·​er ˈwä-chər 

ˈwȯ-

: one that watches: such as

a

: one that sits up or continues awake at night

b

: watchman

c(1)

: one that keeps watch beside a dead person

(2)

: one that attends a sick person at night

d

: a person who closely follows or observes someone or something

a Supreme Court watcher

—often used in combination

celebrity-watchers

e

: a representative of a party or candidate who is stationed at the polls on an election day to watch the conduct of officials and voters

Synonyms of watcher

• guardian
• custodian
• guard
• keeper
• warden
• sentinel
• watch
• observer

Examples of watcher in a Sentence

the inexperienced babysitter turned out to be a well-meaning but hopelessly incompetent watcher of young children

a safari that affords wildlife watchers plenty of opportunities to see Africa's grandest creatures in their natural habitat

Recent Examples on the Web

As measurement gets stricter and the watchers get better at catching what slips, the pool of gas that can clear the bar shrinks — and intensity figures shaped by satellite data help decide who is in the pool and who is left holding cargoes nobody in Brussels will touch. —Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Reading between the lines this time, however, Iran watchers see a less substantive issue at play. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 June 2026

Trooping the Color marks the official birthday of King Charles and includes an elaborate display of pomp and pageantry featuring almost 1,500 army personnel, 200 military horses and thousands of royal watchers flooding the streets. —Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 13 June 2026

World Cup watchers can enter the live screenings for free, but tickets are also available to guarantee seating. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watcher

• bird-watcher
• clock-watcher
• fire watcher