Definition of watchmannext
1
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 Ideas like reparative journalism and sousveillance — an antonym for surveillance, concerning watching the watchmen in a reversal of power — earn fleeting mentions, but are never the focus of actual inquiry. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for watchman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchman
Noun
  • This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • While custodians often calculate RMDs, taxpayers should verify these amounts, as errors can still lead to IRS penalties.
    Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Noun
  • Notably, this goals-prevented metric doesn’t account for the different number of shots a ’keeper faces.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Contrary to a popular myth, bees are indifferent to their keepers.
    Richard Schiffman, Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd became the first WNBA rookie to win the 3-Point Contest on Friday night at Wintrust Arena.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • Fellow defensive end Keion White, linebackers Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Tatum Bethune and Luke Gifford, quarterback Mac Jones and center/guard Brett Toth also practiced after sitting out OTA practices in the spring.
    Matt Barrows, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • Parents found out in February that the school’s janitor and maintenance worker, Caleb Crawford, had been convicted and imprisoned for touching a 12-year-old girl in 2016.
    Rachel Royster July 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • Landon built relationships with the janitors and grounds crew, always stopping to chat.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • The collapse of the Quebec Bridge in 1907, which killed 75 ironworkers due to a calculation error and engineering inexperience, helped establish the professional engineer as a guardian of public safety.
    Heather Wishart-Smith, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Parents, guardians, grandparents and others can also contribute up to $5,000 per child per year.
    Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 27 July 2026
Noun
  • Speculation continues about why the Westmoreland County Prison warden was placed on leave around the same time the prison went on lockdown.
    Erika Stanish, CBS News, 29 July 2026
  • The encounter fortunately ended without anyone being injured, but Parks Canada wardens were able to identify the hikers after the video was posted online and racked up millions of views.
    Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • In the film, robotic sentinels have been constructed to kill all mutants and any humans harboring them.
    Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Strong new work presents legacy musicians as active artists relevant to a new generation of listeners, rather than as caretakers of famous music libraries.
    David Deal, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Along with his legislative role, Anderson is a full-time caretaker for a disabled parent.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Watchman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchman. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on watchman

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster