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
Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The $5 billion scale-down falls more in line with other City Council and watchdog budget estimates.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Torture hasn’t been reported from Guantánamo’s immigration operation, but ICE shift reports obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the government watchdog group American Oversight note concerns about detainees resorting to hunger strikes and self-harm.
—Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
The Dallas City Council turned to a new search firm Wednesday to recruit a watchdog responsible for sniffing out wasteful spending, fraud and corruption in City Hall.
—Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for watchdog
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Noun
The attorney did not name the ex-councilmember, but several Oakland officials have been identified by city ethics watchdogs as receiving donations from people allegedly at the behest of the Duong family.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The $5 billion scale-down falls more in line with other City Council and watchdog budget estimates.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2026
Torture hasn’t been reported from Guantánamo’s immigration operation, but ICE shift reports obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the government watchdog group American Oversight note concerns about detainees resorting to hunger strikes and self-harm.
—Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
The Dallas City Council turned to a new search firm Wednesday to recruit a watchdog responsible for sniffing out wasteful spending, fraud and corruption in City Hall.
—Devyani Chhetri, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 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 13 Feb. 2026.
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