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watchdog

1 of 2

noun

watch·​dog ˈwäch-ˌdȯg How to pronounce watchdog (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Two of Yermak's former deputies -- Oleh Tatarov and Rostyslav Shurma -- left the government in 2024 after watchdogs investigated them for financial wrongdoing. Arkansas Online, 29 Nov. 2025 Independent watchdogs and state officials warn that, despite today’s windfall, New York faces structural budget gaps that could reach well into the tens of billions of dollars over the next few years as temporary federal aid and boom-time tax receipts fade. Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025 Criticised by anti-corruption watchdogs at home and abroad, as well as the EU, the move sparked Ukraine’s first anti-government protests since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025 The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office are Ukrainian anti-corruption watchdogs. CBS News, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for watchdog

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of watchdog was in 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Watchdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watchdog. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on watchdog

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