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 of watcher

• 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

Eclipse watchers in Greenland should see just over two minutes of totality, while those in northern Spain may only see about 20 seconds — conditions permitting. —Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 6 June 2026

Holding the line may have caused some consternation for market watchers while others were relieved that the rules will remain in effect. —Bailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 6 June 2026

Industry watchers anticipate another large volume of reservations next month, once teams advance to the final rounds of play. —Ted Scouten, CBS News, 4 June 2026

Market watchers have predicted that the machines will change the world over the next decade and forecast that the industry will grow 100-fold, as AI's physical capabilities evolve. —Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 3 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watcher

• bird-watcher
• clock-watcher
• fire watcher