observer

noun

ob·​serv·​er əb-ˈzər-vər 

: one that observes: such as

a

: a representative sent to observe but not participate officially in an activity (such as a meeting or war)

b

: an expert analyst and commentator in a particular field

political observers

Synonyms

• spectator
• viewer

Examples of observer in a Sentence

According to one observer, the event was poorly organized.

The star is not visible to an observer without a telescope.

According to one military observer, this change comes after years of planning.

Observers say the economy is improving.

The class has an observer today, so please be on your best behavior.

Recent Examples on the Web

But this observation is confounded because Pepperberg used direct interactive training concurrently with Alex and his colleagues so the effect of learning solely as a third party observer cannot be isolated and specifically examined from these experiments. —Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

As the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis documented, the press are often participants, not merely neutral observers, in the Israel-Islamist conflict. —Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025

She had not been permitted to run against the strongman president, Nicolás Maduro, in the summer of 2024, but by the tallies of electoral observers (an official count is still unavailable), her surrogate garnered a majority of the vote. —Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025

To many observers Cox has stood out as a voice of reason focused on finding common ground instead of stoking divisions. —Daniel Bush, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

observe + -er entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing observer

• casual observer
• inter-observer

Rhymes for observer

• preserver
• fervor
• fervour
• server