watchdog

1 of 2

noun

watch·​dog ˈwäch-ˌdȯg 

ˈwȯch-

1

: a dog kept to guard property

2

: one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or undesirable practices

watchdog

2 of 2

verb

watchdogged; watchdogging; watchdogs

transitive verb

: to act as a watchdog for

Examples of watchdog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After the border incident, the teenager contacted the Office of the Child Advocate, an independent government watchdog that monitors the child welfare system, which eventually referred the case to the New Mexico Department of Justice. — Mikella Schuettler, ABC News, 30 July 2026

Department watchdogs argue that public records allow residents to evaluate how the LAPD and other agencies are performing and look for ways to improve. — Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

The memorandum, released July 28 by watchdog group American Oversight, outlines how TSA and ICE can share passenger information and how that data is stored and used. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 29 July 2026

The petition echoes recent calls from AI leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, for a new international watchdog to vet and set standards for cutting-edge AI models. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1902, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for watchdog

• agog
• backlog
• bulldog
• bullfrog
• eclogue
• eggnog
• groundhog
• hedgehog
• leapfrog
• prolog
• sheepdog
• analog

Kids Definition

watchdog

noun

watch·​dog

ˈwäch-ˌdȯg, 

ˈwȯch-

1

: a dog kept to guard property

2

: one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or dishonesty