observer

noun

ob·​serv·​er əb-ˈzər-vər 

: one that observes: such as

a

: a representative sent to observe but not participate officially in an activity (such as a meeting or war)

b

: an expert analyst and commentator in a particular field

political observers

Synonyms of observer

• spectator
• viewer

Examples of observer in a Sentence

According to one observer, the event was poorly organized.

The star is not visible to an observer without a telescope.

According to one military observer, this change comes after years of planning.

Observers say the economy is improving.

The class has an observer today, so please be on your best behavior.

Recent Examples on the Web

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood On the cusp of her twelfth birthday in 1964, Glory is a keen observer of her Mississippi hometown. —Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026

The show’s perspective that sometimes what separates a bad guy from a good guy is the empathy of the observer, is intriguing, but somewhat an exercise. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026

Some observers attribute the decline to a crime spike during COVID. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026

While Israel inflicted serious damage on Iran's ballistic missile capacity during the 12-day war in June, some outside observers believe Iran has restocked its arsenal and has hundreds of rockets capable of targeting Israel and American military assets in the region. —Tucker Reals, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

observe + -er entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing observer

• casual observer
• inter-observer

Rhymes for observer

• preserver
• fervor
• fervour
• server