1
as in custodians
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 keepers
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
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Recent Examples of watchmen
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
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchmen
Noun
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Some investment custodians may not recognize a power of attorney unless a specific document is officially attached to the account.—
Sarah Agostino,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
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Customers can receive books documenting a watch’s history with blank pages in the back where future generations and custodians can write their names to continue the legacy of the treasured object.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Both keepers had one save in a scoreless first half.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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Shera, a female African lion, died Thursday at the National Zoo in Washington after suffering a decline in mobility and being euthanized by keepers at the facility.—
Dana Hedgpeth,
Washington Post,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The best teams built around Dončić have had complementary guards (Jalen Brunson, Kyrie Irving) who could take on playmaking duties for long stretches independently and play off the ball with him.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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Ross described strict rules and constant shouting from guards and condescending treatment at the detention facility in Louisiana.—
Jade le Deley,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The juvenile bear’s wander across campus late Thursday and early Friday prompted an advisory to students and a search by UC Davis police and wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as Yolo County Animal Control.—
Allison Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
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The state wardens and other cops who knew and worked with Bob Markle weren’t just honoring his memory by attending his funeral.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Many of them will issue travel documents or approve custody decisions for a child only with the consent of all of their legal guardians, which is difficult to secure if one or both parents have been deported.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
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Depending on the nature of the concern, that may include wellness checks, threat assessment protocols, student support interventions, disciplinary processes, safety planning, or coordination with parents and guardians.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Participants included janitors, security officers, airport workers and stadium employees affiliated with SEIU-United Service Workers West, along with a coalition of labor unions, civil rights organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and faith leaders.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
1 May 2026
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Many Japanese elementary schools don’t have janitors, so the clean-up work is left to students.—
Stephen Wade,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And for decades, billboards with Smart’s smiling face stood like sentinels along Highway 101, silently urging anyone with information to come forward.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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Precedent for this idea comes from Poland, where many cities already use freshwater mussels as living sentinels of water quality, wired with sensors that register when the animals clamp their shells shut in response to pollutants.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Rio's birthday celebration will include species-appropriate enrichment and special treats prepared by her caretakers.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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The caretakers at the wellness center have also become part of her family, Lipski said.—
Andre Mouchard,
Daily News,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Watchmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchmen. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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