watcher

noun

watch·​er ˈwä-chər How to pronounce watcher (audio)
ˈwȯ-
: one that watches: such as
a
: one that sits up or continues awake at night
b
c(1)
: one that keeps watch beside a dead person
(2)
: one that attends a sick person at night
d
: a person who closely follows or observes someone or something
a Supreme Court watcher
often used in combination
celebrity-watchers
e
: a representative of a party or candidate who is stationed at the polls on an election day to watch the conduct of officials and voters

Examples of watcher in a Sentence

the inexperienced babysitter turned out to be a well-meaning but hopelessly incompetent watcher of young children a safari that affords wildlife watchers plenty of opportunities to see Africa's grandest creatures in their natural habitat
Recent Examples on the Web Thousands of astronomy buffs did flood the tiny Texas town, but not to the extent eclipse watchers had predicted. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024 That was until an eclipse watcher spotted him under the bridge at 63rd and Lewis Road near Swope Park Monday afternoon. Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2024 There will be numerous U.S. cities where eclipse watchers can view the total eclipse, including Reno, Nevada; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Orlando, Florida. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024 Total Eclipse Begins 6 hr 6 min ago The first views of the total solar eclipse began in Mazatlán, Mexico — and the eclipse is now moving along the path of totality, with eclipse watchers in Texas just minutes away from breathtaking views. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 8 Apr. 2024 The highways from metro Detroit toward Monroe and Toledo were more like parking lots Monday afternoon as eclipse watchers headed south for a glimpse of totality during the solar eclipse. Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2024 Cloud cover produced less-than-ideal viewing conditions in parts of Ohio and traffic clogged some roads as eclipse watchers squeezed into small towns and parks along the 115-mile path of totality. Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 8 Apr. 2024 Some advise watchers to not worry about the skies, others say an overcast sky can ruin the experience. USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024 Regardless, his attendance will be seen by many royal watchers as a reassuring signal of his health. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'watcher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of watcher was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near watcher

Cite this Entry

“Watcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watcher. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

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