watchful

adjective

watch·ful | \ ˈwäch-fəl

How to pronounce watchful (audio)

, ˈwȯch- \

Definition of watchful

1 archaic

a : not able or accustomed to sleep or rest : wakeful

b : causing sleeplessness

c : spent in wakefulness : sleepless

2 : carefully observant or attentive : being on the watch

Other Words from watchful Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about watchful

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Synonyms & Antonyms for watchful

Synonyms

Antonyms

asleep

Choose the Right Synonym for watchful

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity. watchful is the least explicit term. the watchful eye of the department supervisor vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness. eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers. wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity. alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

Examples of watchful in a Sentence

We need to be more watchful of our children. The hotel is being built under the watchful eye of its architect.

Recent Examples on the Web Keeping a watchful eye could prevent you another major headache later on. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of Moths in Every Part of Your Home, According to Experts," 21 Jan. 2021 His challenge this season will be to duplicate that impact for the Wild while under the watchful eye of his competition — a test Fiala is eager to ace. — Sarah Mclellan, Star Tribune, "Wild's top scorer Kevin Fiala knows he'll have to stay disciplined as opponents target him," 9 Jan. 2021 The threat was so serious that Mozart had his copyists work only in his apartments, under his watchful eye. — Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, "Bubble, Bubble, but No Trouble (Yet)," 29 Dec. 2020 Freedom from being enclosed in a rickshaw, pulled by a servant who was an extension of her mother’s watchful eye. — Jade Chang Kiese Makeba Laymon Carina Del Valle Schorske Dessa Irina Aleksander Sam Dolnick Mark Binelli Maggie Jones Rob Hoerburger Jamie Lauren Keiles Devin Gordon Jazmine Hughes Jenna Wortham Taffy Brodesser-akner Kaitlyn Greenidge Reginald Dwayne Betts Rowan Ricardo Phillips Michael Paterniti Wesley Morris Ismail Muhammad Anthony Giardina, New York Times, "Remembering some of the artists, innovators and thinkers we lost in the past year.," 24 Dec. 2020 Listed at 6-2, 299 pounds, Haskell Garrett is a late bloomer who is blossoming as a senior under the watchful eye of the best defensive line coach in the nation: Larry Johnson. — John Owning, Dallas News, "Film room: 3 potential defensive tackle targets for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 NFL draft," 16 Dec. 2020 But the five companies all appear to exist for one reason: to evade the watchful eye of American law enforcement. — Joshua Berlinger, CNN, "The Wan Chai connection: The Washington-accused drug lords, gun runners and dictators' financiers tied to one Hong Kong district," 10 Dec. 2020 Under the watchful eye of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nuclear program didn’t fall prey to Iran’s poisonous domestic politics. — Ray Takeyh, WSJ, "The Shah, the Mullahs and Iran’s Longstanding Nuclear Ambitions," 10 Dec. 2020 Police administrators and supervisors must keep a watchful eye on a police organization to ensure officers understand and follow constitutional legal requirements. — Arkansas Online, "An important tool," 5 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'watchful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near watchful

watchful waiting

Statistics for watchful

Last Updated

30 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Watchful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watchful. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for watchful

watchful

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of watchful

: always watching the actions of someone or something : paying careful attention to someone or something

See the full definition for watchful in the English Language Learners Dictionary

watchful

adjective

watch·ful | \ ˈwäch-fəl

\

Kids Definition of watchful

: attentive sense 1, vigilant The community was extraordinarily safe, each citizen watchful and protective of all children.— Lois Lowry, The Giver

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