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
When a boy named Milo goes through a tollbooth that appears in his room on an average day at home, he is met with a series of punny quests — including jumping to the Island of Conclusions, learning about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock and rescuing Rhyme and Reason. Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025 The Statesman is shining a spotlight on this election with news, in-depth enterprise reporting, exclusive watchdog stories, and our Voter Guide Q&As with candidates answering our questions. Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2025 Virginia has the most data centers in the United States (663), according to infrastructure watchdog DataCenterMap. Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 The request by the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit nonpartisan government watchdog, also cites a story by MSNBC that reported that Homan had taken a $50,000 cash payment from undercover FBI agents posing as would-be DHS contractors seeking his help obtaining contracts. Avi Asher-Schapiro, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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