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
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
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
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This constant vigilance requires close observation through a network of ground- and space-based surveillance sensors.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
23 Apr. 2026
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Tan said banks are now operating in an environment where cyber risks are constant and evolving, requiring a mindset of perpetual vigilance.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More evidence is needed to determine if smelling lemon water can significantly increase energy and alertness.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
17 Apr. 2026
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Dogs bred for alertness or reactivity may be more attuned to sound, though this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Boylan, who was a licensed captain for 34 years, failed to appoint an overnight roving watch on the night of the fire — ignoring the Certificate of Inspection requirements that were hanging in his wheelhouse — and did not institute adequate fire safety drills.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Here’s what to know watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Kate Rooney,Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Pilots on both Southwest planes responded to onboard alerts, the FAA said.—
Ayesha Ali,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
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The state with the second-highest number of alerts, California, had just 16.—
Andrea Lucia,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s a gentleness, patience, care, and concentration in meaningful work, an attentiveness close to love, that embodies the best in culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
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Once traversed by Genghis Khan, this is a focal point of Scythian-Turkic culture, whose arid slopes somehow sustain nomadic life that demands constant attentiveness to the environment.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watchfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchfulness. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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