watcher

noun

watch·​er ˈwä-chər 

ˈwȯ-

: one that watches: such as

a

: one that sits up or continues awake at night

b

: watchman

c(1)

: one that keeps watch beside a dead person

(2)

: one that attends a sick person at night

d

: a person who closely follows or observes someone or something

a Supreme Court watcher

—often used in combination

celebrity-watchers

e

: a representative of a party or candidate who is stationed at the polls on an election day to watch the conduct of officials and voters

Synonyms

• guardian
• custodian
• guard
• keeper
• warden
• sentinel
• watch
• observer

Examples of watcher in a Sentence

the inexperienced babysitter turned out to be a well-meaning but hopelessly incompetent watcher of young children

a safari that affords wildlife watchers plenty of opportunities to see Africa's grandest creatures in their natural habitat

Recent Examples on the Web

However, that may provide a black canvas for space watchers to find stars and planets – weather permitting. —James Powel, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025

Some news reports suggested the heat kept some 30th anniversary cruise watchers away. —Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 17 Aug. 2025

The explosion puzzled market watchers given the small amount of shares available to the public. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025

Market watchers are predicting another rally for gold after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the metal would be exempt from new tariffs — even as some uncertainty lingers. —Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watcher

• bird-watcher
• clock-watcher