watchman

noun

ˈwäch-mən How to pronounce watchman (audio)
Definition of watchmannext
1
as in custodian
a person or group that watches over someone or something hired a watchman to patrol the factory at night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in keeper
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner a watchman lives next door to scare off prowlers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 watchman Stingley died the same year as Trayvon Martin, a Black Florida teen shot to death by a neighborhood volunteer watchman, who was acquitted in 2013. — Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 16 Jan. 2026 Désir explained the various Gede spirits, like Baron Samedi, the spirit that takes souls to the afterlife and Brav Gede the watchman of the graveyard. — Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025 The old man of the night, the watchman not yet in bed. — Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025 Here was another young Black person, a 17-year-old heading back from the convenience store, who had been deemed a threat, shot, and killed by a neighborhood watchman. — Noelle Swan, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for watchman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchman
  1. custodian
  2. keeper
  3. guard
  4. janitor
  5. guardian
  6. warden
  7. sentinel
  8. caretaker
Noun
  • Authorities say Borg worked for two years as a custodian for AUSD, but lost his job in 2024 amid a conflict with another employee.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • Those jobs belong to a separate custodian, who manages the retirement account paperwork, and a depository, who keeps the metals secure.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • Argentine keeper Emiliano Martínez set a new record for most saves in a men’s World Cup Final, with 11, including a few diving stops that kept Argentina alive.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 20 July 2026
  • The goal ruined a superhuman effort by Argentine keeper Emiliano Martínez, who made 11 saves while playing with a fractured right ring finger that will require surgery.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • Ahead of the trophy celebrations, the Spanish extended an olive branch, providing a guard of honour to their opponents.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Cots, bottle warmers, bottle sterilizing tablets, and bed guards are offered, as well as babysitting services, swimming lessons, complimentary non-motorized water sports, and blended baby food especially prepared by the chef.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026
Definition of guard
Noun
  • Landon built relationships with the janitors and grounds crew, always stopping to chat.
    — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 10 July 2026
  • The janitor of the school is more important than the principal.
    — Mac Engel June 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026
Definition of janitor
Noun
  • Parents and guardians should have open and ongoing conversations, rather than one big conversation, according to Mann.
    — Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The ride service may contact parents and guardians of riders with teen accounts as well.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of guardian
Noun
  • One hunter, for instance, was confronted by a warden 100 yards from his truck and cited for leaving his hunting license in the vehicle rather than keeping it on his person.
    — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 22 July 2026
  • There were also issues with inadequate access to lawyers, which civil rights advocates raised in a letter to the warden in May 2025.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of warden
Noun
  • The observatory has spent over two decades as a sort of orbital sentinel that scans the cosmos for gamma-ray bursts, ready to quickly point itself at the short-lived — but insanely powerful — space explosions at a moment's notice.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 26 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, in Ischia Ponte, the Castello Aragonese stands sentinel over a causeway that connects it to the rest of the island.
    — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026
Definition of sentinel
Noun
  • Islami was a mother of three children, Hayleigh (12), Madison (10) and Logan (7), and worked as a caretaker and personal assistant, her obituary said.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
  • The caretaker Camille assigned to her, Nurse Amy (Jacqueline Berces), has been following someone else’s orders and switching Juliette’s medication.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Definition of caretaker

Browse Nearby Words

watching over
watchman
watchmen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Nglish: Translation of watchman for Spanish Speakers

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