observer

noun

ob·​serv·​er əb-ˈzər-vər How to pronounce observer (audio)
: 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

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 The Big Tech firms sprung into action, moving at a speed observers hadn’t seen from them in years. Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2023 But in July, a party rule change engineered by the Trump team overhauled the state's nearly 20-year delegate selection process and replaced it with a proposal that many observers and competing campaigns have characterized as favoring Trump. Isabella Murray, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2023 But observers say he’s tapped into widespread discontent among Argentines. Natalie Alcoba, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Sep. 2023 But observers note that such a return would have been very unlikely without approval from the monarchy. Time, 20 Sep. 2023 Real estate observers say there are some signs these trends could turn around in the next year or two, though that is far from certain. Jonathan Wosen, STAT, 19 Sep. 2023 They’d also be required to disclose more details about acquisitions during the previous decade, information on company officers, directors and board observers, and workforce data. BostonGlobe.com, 19 Sep. 2023 Images: Zuma Press/EPA/Shutterstock Composite: Mark Kelly For many observers, last week’s Group of 20 summit in New Delhi marked the emergence of India as a leading player in global affairs. Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2023 The cooldown of inflation alongside resilient economic performance has given rise to optimism among many observers that the U.S. will avert a recession. Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'observer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of observer was circa 1550

Dictionary Entries Near observer

Cite this Entry

“Observer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/observer. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

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