watch·dog
ˈwäch-ˌdȯg 
ˈwȯch-
1
: a dog kept to guard property
2
: one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or undesirable practices
watchdogged; watchdogging; watchdogs
: to act as a watchdog for
Examples of watchdog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Why a One‑Time Wealth Tax Misses California’s own fiscal watchdogs have noted that many top earners already avoid large state income taxes by borrowing against appreciated stock instead of selling it.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan Political Ecology Observatory, an environmental watchdog, documented nearly 200 oil spills from 2016 to 2021 that largely were unreported by authorities.
—Steven Grattan, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Seventeen inspectors general—internal watchdogs embedded throughout the federal government—received emails notifying them of their termination.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for watchdog
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
The City of Boston agreed to stop inflating the assessed value, and taxes, for commercial properties that file abatements, according to a watchdog group that slammed the practice as retaliatory and unlawful and later filed suit against the city.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Why a One‑Time Wealth Tax Misses California’s own fiscal watchdogs have noted that many top earners already avoid large state income taxes by borrowing against appreciated stock instead of selling it.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 13 Jan. 2026
The Venezuelan Political Ecology Observatory, an environmental watchdog, documented nearly 200 oil spills from 2016 to 2021 that largely were unreported by authorities.
—Steven Grattan, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Seventeen inspectors general—internal watchdogs embedded throughout the federal government—received emails notifying them of their termination.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for watchdog
Cite this Entry
“Watchdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watchdog. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
