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

Market watchers also have their eyes on related names, as investors may rotate money from existing AI bets to OpenAI and Anthropic. —Tasmin Lockwood, CNBC, 6 Jan. 2026

Based on 81% of ballots tallied by opposition poll watchers, the center said opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won in a landslide with 67% of the vote. —Jorge Valencia, NPR, 5 Jan. 2026

The Missouri Department of Conservation says late December through early February is the peak time for bald eagles, and watchers should look for eagles perched in large trees along the water’s edge. —Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2026

Crypto’s ups and downs Even with a reputation for volatility, cryptocurrencies still managed to surprise market watchers. —Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watcher

• bird-watcher
• clock-watcher