observe 1 of 4

verb (1)

əb-ˈzərv How to pronounce observe (audio)
Definition of observenext
1
as in to obey
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

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Relevance

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2
as in to celebrate
to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony a time when few people in New England observed Christmas

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to watch
to keep one's eyes on happily spent many hours observing the birds at the backyard feeder

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to reflect
to make a statement of one's opinion "I think you might be mistaken," he observed

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5
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes she observed that the weather had changed again

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to follow
to take notice of and be guided by generally observes the suggestions of the experts regarding baby care

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

observing

2 of 4

adjective

1
as in participating

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in aware

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Dissimilar Words

observing

3 of 4

noun

as in observation

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observing

4 of 4

verb (2)

present participle of observe
1
as in obeying
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in celebrating
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 watching
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 reflecting
to make a statement of one's opinion "I think you might be mistaken," he observed

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in noticing
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 following
to take notice of and be guided by generally observes the suggestions of the experts regarding baby care

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word observe different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of observe are celebrate, commemorate, and keep. While all these words mean "to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed," observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance.

not all holidays are observed nationally

When is celebrate a more appropriate choice than observe?

The meanings of celebrate and observe largely overlap; however, celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity.

traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner

When is it sensible to use commemorate instead of observe?

Although the words commemorate and observe have much in common, commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event.

commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

When could keep be used to replace observe?

While the synonyms keep and observe are close in meaning, keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating.

kept the Sabbath by refraining from work

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 observe
Verb
Ali announced that Guyana would observe three days of national mourning from Wednesday through Friday in honor of those who died in the disaster. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026 Schartz had long observed that many patients struggled to replicate professional results at home; existing cleansing devices were often too aggressive for sensitive or compromised skin. — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Noun
For an even more enhanced observing experience, find a dark environment away from bright lights to attend the total eclipse show. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026 There is discussion in the news nationwide about legal observing and know-your-rights training sessions. — Heidi Reynolds-Stenson, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
And observing the magic of the Great spirit stimulate the vibrations of creation through the sounds of music. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 17 July 2026 Far from being niche, flower safaris offer an entirely different way of observing nature. — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for observe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observe
  1. obey
  2. celebrate
  3. watch
  4. reflect
  5. notice
  6. follow
  7. commemorate
  8. eye
Verb
  • While the sample was a false positive, the FDA’s traceback investigation still converges on Taylor Farms lettuce as a suspect, and people should continue to obey the company’s voluntary recall, the FDA confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter.
    — Janelle Mella, Charlotte Observer, 21 July 2026
  • In each scenario, exhaustion is a signal to override, not obey or stop.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of obey
Verb
  • Retired tech executive David Cancel and scientist Amanda Cirello recently celebrated their lavish wedding on Isola del Garda, Lake Garda, Italy.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • There’s a set that celebrates postal workers, another depicting bald eagles at every life stage from awkward chick to majestic icon of Americana, and one that is smattered with colorful Route 66 landmarks.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 July 2026
Definition of celebrate
Verb
  • Downtown residents watching Sundance Square’s slow reinvention have a lot to track this year.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
  • Its more than 440 vertebrate species include 39 fishes, 64 reptiles, 50 mammals and 235 birds (which make the Okefenokee a prime bird watching venue).
    — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of watch
Verb
  • That configuration reflects the J-20’s emphasis on engaging enemy aircraft at long distances, particularly high-value targets such as tankers, surveillance aircraft, and airborne early-warning platforms.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 July 2026
  • The issues persisted through Sunday’s race, and his podium finish wouldn’t reflect Verstappen’s frustration – evidenced in his regular radio messages.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of reflect
Verb
  • If that does happen, drivers may notice smoke coming from the cabin air vents, see flames coming out the passenger side of the engine compartment, or receive a cluster warning message.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 24 July 2026
  • In the event of a short, drivers may notice smoke in the air vents or a warning message on their dashboard followed by flames coming from the passenger's side of the engine compartment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
Definition of notice
Verb
  • Some believe Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob cares more about maximizing their long-term future following Curry’s eventual retirement than maximizing their current present with Curry still playing at an All-Star caliber level.
    — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • January 20 – February 18 Your message may need more discipline before people can follow it.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
Definition of follow
Verb
  • In the meantime, Roosevelt was sitting for an artist who was creating a medal commemorating the building of the Panama Canal.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 July 2026
  • Pamela Warner commemorated the anniversary of her son’s death on Tuesday, sharing photos from their past on the Instagram page dedicated to her son’s memory.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of commemorate
Verb
  • The Roots are eyeing Howard Terminal — the waterfront land where the A’s once explored a major stadium-and-housing development — as a site to build a temporary 8,000-seat stadium.
    — Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 26 July 2026
  • Officials have not announced an exact location for the Relativity rocket factory, but the company is reportedly eyeing a site in Titusville, just west of Kennedy Space Center.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2026
Definition of eye

Browse Nearby Words

observatory
observe
observed
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Cite this Entry

“Observe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observe. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on observe

Nglish: Translation of observe for Spanish Speakers

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