watchman

noun

watch·​man ˈwäch-mən 

ˈwȯch-

: a person who keeps watch : guard

Synonyms of watchman

• custodian
• guard
• guardian
• warden
• keeper
• sentinel
• sentry

Examples of watchman in a Sentence

A watchman stopped them at the gate.

hired a watchman to patrol the factory at night

Recent Examples on the Web

Traders positioned watchmen along the shoreline, scanning the horizon for incoming vessels. — Brian Lund, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026

Local officials like Allen qualify that the question of using AI surveillance in communities big and small comes down to who’s watching the watchmen. — Noah Daly august 26, Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2026

The Guardian Built From The Same Cloth The institutions that protect our money are nevertheless far from defenseless, since the very capacity for recognizing patterns that empowers the attacker also sharpens the eyes of the watchman. — Dennis-Kenji Kipker, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Fiddlers played at the street corners and watchmen called out the hour of the day. — Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing watchman

• night watchman

Rhymes for watchman

• scotchman

Kids Definition

watchman

noun

watch·​man -mən 

: a person assigned to watch : guard