as in vigilance
the state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger
it was only her motherly watchfulness that saved the boy from an accident
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Recent Examples of watchfulness
Hong Kong icon Tony Leung has channeled brooding urban energy for the masterpieces of Wong Kar-Wai, balancing the debonair ennui of Marcello Mastroianni with the quiet watchfulness of Montgomery Clift.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
In nine short, potent chapters, Beckerman lays out the essential traits of an effective dissident — loyalty, recklessness and watchfulness, among them — to illustrate how communities of resistance are built from the ground up.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
A lot of this involves watchfulness—noticing what the preferring mind (that is, the editing mind) as put in place, and accepting it, and building upon it.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
With calm resolve, the United States and the European Union have each made decisions in recent days showing a firm watchfulness against big-power aggression.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2025
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.
—Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 May 2026
In nine short, potent chapters, Beckerman lays out the essential traits of an effective dissident — loyalty, recklessness and watchfulness, among them — to illustrate how communities of resistance are built from the ground up.
—Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
A lot of this involves watchfulness—noticing what the preferring mind (that is, the editing mind) as put in place, and accepting it, and building upon it.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
With calm resolve, the United States and the European Union have each made decisions in recent days showing a firm watchfulness against big-power aggression.
—The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2025
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.
—Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchfulness
Noun
-
Any realistic future, extrapolated from the present, will be a scary one, reflecting back to us our own warranted, present-tense vigilance.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
But as long as we fallible humans remain in charge, a degree of vigilance against potential barriers to minority voting is important.—
Stephen L. Carter,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Bright light in the 2,500-10,000 lux range during the first six hours of a night shift suppresses melatonin and enhances alertness.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
-
Bright light in the 2,500-10,000 lux range during the first six hours of a shift suppresses melatonin and sharpens alertness.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The batteries are commonly found in products including phones, watches, e-cigarettes, hoverboards and appliances.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Come football season, this chowder is an easy thing to serve at a watch party.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Today, the two South Asian neighbors remain on high alert amid tit-for-tat threats and reports that both sides are preparing for more war.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
Modern aircraft systems and cockpit alerts are designed to enhance safety, meaning alarms and delays are signs that protections are working.—
Chris Dong,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Nolan’s attentiveness to his characters extends beyond the page.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
12 May 2026
-
The variance with accustomed Goodspeed values is apparent from the very first moments, though the opening gambit fails due to an appalling lack of attentiveness from the audience.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watchfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchfulness. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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