1
as in word
a word or phrase that must be spoken by a person in order to pass a guard
the watchword is changed every day
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in slogan
an attention-getting word or phrase used to publicize something (as a campaign or product)
their latest watchword turns up in every ad from that company
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of watchword
The aesthetic watchword for this film meant that, in every respect, the creative team wanted to combine '60s period details with sci-fi imagination.
—
EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Now that it’s done, with relatively few on the left genuinely shocked by Trump’s win, accommodation and acceptance are the new watchwords.
—Ross Barkan, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Growth is the watchword as the filmmakers also weave in stories (well, folktales) from Norwegian traditions concerned with the Norns, a trio of Norse deities believed to be responsible for the shaping of human destiny and tasked with caring for Yggdrasill, the tree at the center of everything.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
Opulent is the watchword here, as the skyscrapers will host just one large and light-filled residence each per floor.
—Adam Williams, New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watchword
EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Now that it’s done, with relatively few on the left genuinely shocked by Trump’s win, accommodation and acceptance are the new watchwords.
—Ross Barkan, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Growth is the watchword as the filmmakers also weave in stories (well, folktales) from Norwegian traditions concerned with the Norns, a trio of Norse deities believed to be responsible for the shaping of human destiny and tasked with caring for Yggdrasill, the tree at the center of everything.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2025
Opulent is the watchword here, as the skyscrapers will host just one large and light-filled residence each per floor.
—Adam Williams, New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watchword
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchword
Noun
-
In this superb biography, Joanne Paul goes back to the words More wrote himself, to try and get at More before fame and the accusations against him took hold.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
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Friends and family flooded the comments with words of sympathy and cherished memories of Page.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
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Critics have accused the regime of prioritizing ideological loyalty over competence, allowing individuals who simply mouthed hard-line slogans to rise through the ranks while concealing their true allegiances.—
MOHAMMAD AYATOLLAHI TABAAR,
Foreign Affairs,
8 July 2025
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Amid growing calls for transparency and climate responsibility, a few under-the-radar brands are stepping up with substance, not slogans and these were made in a random summer discovery.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
From protests in Barcelona to banners in Ibiza, Spanish locals are voicing their frustrations.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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But the valor of the real soldiers who carried the banner of American ideals into the firefight is nonetheless reflected in this story.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watchword.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchword. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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