watchdog

1 of 2

noun

watch·​dog ˈwäch-ˌdȯg How to pronounce watchdog (audio)
ˈwȯch-
Synonyms of watchdognext
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
International election watchdogs, including the United States, say Maduro manipulated the ballot results in order to steal a third term in office and continue his dictatorial reign. Alana Wise, NPR, 3 Jan. 2026 Beyond the doubts and confusion, many Venezuelans also felt deep relief at the news of the ousting of Maduro — whose government watchdog groups and independent monitors manipulated the 2024 presidential election to secure victory. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026 Smith and Churchome have since come under their own scrutiny, largely from the Roys Report, a watchdog site of Christian journalism. Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026 Regulators and watchdogs say AI image tools now enable abuse at an unprecedented scale. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026 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 6 Jan. 2026.

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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