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
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.
—Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.
—Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchfulness
Noun
-
Tools like OpenClaw can run for hours at a time, but for many early users, that autonomy comes with a new kind of vigilance—checking logs, reviewing outputs, and stepping in before things go wrong.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Her vigilance has no room for any notion of immortality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Enzymes convert cholesterol into cortisol, which is discharged from the outer layer of the adrenal glands, to sharpen alertness.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Boost Energy and Alertness Taking a walk in the morning has been associated with lower daytime sleepiness and improved alertness during the day.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And watches priced over $64,000 (CHF 50,000) are completely dominating the market, making up 89 percent of growth in 2025.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
26 Feb. 2026
-
This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Several airlines, including Air Canada, United Airlines and Aeromexico, cancelled flights to Puerto Vallarta when the violence and security alerts went into effect on Sunday.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
-
In addition to bird flu concerns among commercial and backyard flocks, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking the public to be on alert for sickness in wild birds as migration ramps up in the coming weeks.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Life without that kind of attentiveness?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
This conviction shaped his attentiveness to Jews facing state oppression.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watchfulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchfulness. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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