1
as in followed
to act according to the commands of
you must observe all the rules of this school, not simply the ones that meet with your personal approval
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in celebrated
to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony
a time when few people in New England observed Christmas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in watched
to keep one's eyes on
happily spent many hours observing the birds at the backyard feeder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in reflected
to make a statement of one's opinion
"I think you might be mistaken," he observed
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in noticed
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
she observed that the weather had changed again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in noted
to take notice of and be guided by
generally observes the suggestions of the experts regarding baby care
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of observed
In 2021, Tatmon was observed loitering outside a liquor store directly across the street from the Sky Market with two other men, one of whom subsequently shot and killed Edward Morgan, 41, of Oakland, during a confrontation.
—
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Each time, officers observed the children, spoke to neighbors and spoke with their mother, but found no evidence of abuse, police said.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
The research team then observed whether the nasal lining cells indeed got infected, what genes responsible for immune defense mechanisms got turned on and what happened to the cells close to the ones that got infected.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The team observed the active and inactive periods of these cnidarians using infrared cameras and movement-tracking software.
—New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
The alternative hypothesis must still make sense, given subsequent events that have been observed, such as the outcome of later lotteries.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2026
Many, like Sandra Szaz, have observed the long lines at events with curiosity.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2026
He was later spotted at a Shell gas station in Secaucus before being observed walking toward MetLife Stadium.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Earlier missions observed this glow only in brief snapshots.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
Each time, officers observed the children, spoke to neighbors and spoke with their mother, but found no evidence of abuse, police said.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026
The research team then observed whether the nasal lining cells indeed got infected, what genes responsible for immune defense mechanisms got turned on and what happened to the cells close to the ones that got infected.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
The team observed the active and inactive periods of these cnidarians using infrared cameras and movement-tracking software.
—New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
The alternative hypothesis must still make sense, given subsequent events that have been observed, such as the outcome of later lotteries.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2026
Many, like Sandra Szaz, have observed the long lines at events with curiosity.
—Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2026
He was later spotted at a Shell gas station in Secaucus before being observed walking toward MetLife Stadium.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Earlier missions observed this glow only in brief snapshots.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observed
Verb
-
The global health crisis was followed by yearslong supply chain issues, semiconductor chip shortages, political whipsawing, tariffs and other challenges for all-electric and autonomous vehicles.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Judge Elizabeth Dunigan sentenced Caruso to three years and one day in state prison to be followed by two years of probation.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the fall, the triplets started their senior year of high school, and Lori and Chris Coble celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary in July.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The win capped an eventful night for Moore, who celebrated a milestone birthday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the Baylor study, participants watched a video of a hand being stabbed with a needle.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
But unfortunately for the paying customers who watched at Target Center, those big names were also spectators watching in street clothes.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This unceremonial meeting was the first contact between people whose ancestors had parted tens of millennia ago in Asia, and whose experiences, cultures, and beliefs separately reflected that distance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Allen’s versatility was reflected in his production during his final year at Georgia, when the 6-1, 235-pounder tallied 88 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks and four pass breakups.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While working in a technical sales role at Amazon, Hua noticed that this same gap between IQ and EQ was a challenge for many people.—
Kevin Kruse,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Her friends noticed the changes; at a point, her best friend learned of the encounter and, to her surprise, was not curious about her encounters with a celebrity other than to ask if the Sochi incident was consensual.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Some users, like Stalter, are deleting their accounts and leaving the app altogether (though some have also had trouble deleting their accounts, Fiesler noted).—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
-
As Lee noted in his opening remarks, gold trading has deep roots in Hong Kong, spanning decades with jewelers, multinational corporations, SMEs, refineries, and investment firms.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hegseth gave an unlawful order, and, unfortunately, people in the military obeyed it.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Dec. 2025
-
When the bell rang in Beaver Falls, where elementary, middle and high schools all occupy the main drag, KDKA Investigates found a diligent crossing guard at one intersection with four-way stops and drivers who mostly obeyed the school zone speed limit displayed with flashing lights.—
Erika Stanish,
CBS News,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Without survivors to testify, the burden shifts to the rest of us to make the record whole and to insist that Tulsa’s story is not only an episode to be commemorated but a harm to be repaired.—
Caleb Gayle,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
-
So, after the temple is remediated, the prayer books and what’s left of their pages will be collected, commemorated with a funeral and interred, Shemper said.—
Jason Carroll,
CNN Money,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Observed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observed. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
