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

The stretch between Inman Park and O4W is a haven for fans, people watchers, food lovers and sauce sippers. —Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 22 May 2026

For years, royal watchers have widely speculated that George could follow in his father’s footsteps and attend Eton College. —Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026

You lucky, lucky awards watchers, the BuzzMeter is back and more Emmy than ever! —Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026

And maybe some hate-watchers, too. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watcher

• bird-watcher
• clock-watcher
• fire watcher