watched; watching; watches
1
a
: to keep vigil as a devotional exercise
b
: to be awake during the night
2
a
: to be attentive or vigilant
b
: to keep guard
3
a
: to keep someone or something under close observation
b
: to observe as a spectator
the country watched as stocks fell sharply
4
: to be expectant : wait
watch for the signal
1
: to keep under guard
2
a
: to observe closely in order to check on action or change
being watched by the police
b
: to look at : observe
sat and watched the crowd
c
: to look on at
watch television
watch a ball game
3
a
: to take care of : tend
b
: to be careful of
watches his diet
4
: to be on the alert for : bide
watched her opportunity
1
a
: the act of keeping awake to guard, protect, or attend
b
obsolete
: the state of being wakeful
c
: a wake over a dead body
d
: a state of alert and continuous attention
e
: close observation : surveillance
f
: a notice or bulletin that alerts the public to the possibility of severe weather conditions occurring in the near future
a winter storm watch
2
a
: any of the definite divisions of the night made by ancient peoples
b
: one of the indeterminate intervals marking the passage of night
—usually used in plural
the silent watches of the night
4
5
a(1)
: a portion of time during which a part of a ship's company is on duty
(2)
: the part of a ship's company required to be on duty during a particular watch
(3)
: a sailor's assigned duty period
b
: a period of duty : shift
c
: a term as holder especially of an overseeing or managerial office
the business grew on her watch
6
: a portable timepiece designed to be worn (as on the wrist) or carried in the pocket compare clock
Synonyms
Examples of watch in a Sentence
Verb
They have a rookie on the team who is fun to watch.
I fell asleep watching television.
What movie are you watching?
“Mom, watch me do a cartwheel!”
She sat and watched the children play.
“Would you like to play, too?” “No, I'll just watch.”
Just sit back and watch.
Keep watching to see what happens next.
“What happens next?” “Watch and see.”
People are watching this presidential race very carefully.
Noun
He glanced at his watch.
When you're driving in winter you should always be on the watch for ice on the roads.
Recent Examples on the Web
Claire Rush, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2024
Per Yahoo Sports, Franklin started in Gaithersburg, Md. with Fashanu, 21, and his family to watch him get drafted by the New York Jets as the 11th overall pick in the NFL draft.
—Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024
One day, Elo-Rivera watched a moving truck pull up by their house in Huntington Beach to cart off belongings, a beloved Ken Griffey Jr. baseball card included.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2024
Goff proceeds to carefully watch tips on things like being spontaneous and stealing a police helicopter as Murphy's comedic mayhem is seen in quick glimpses.
—Julie Hinds, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024
One May afternoon in 2004, in Florida, my four children – all under the age of 7 – were sitting at home watching Veggie Tales.
—Essence, 26 Apr. 2024
Viewers watched the Abbott matriarch slowly and heartbreakingly unravel before dying in an episode in October 2020.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Apr. 2024
The men push the seemingly fragile rocks down the canyon twice, destroying the formations to rubble as the group of three watch it without much visible reaction.
—The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024
Tourists still come from across the world to see the Sistine Chapel, and millions of people still watch Seinfeld and Friends on streaming services.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
Around 17 million people are under flood watches in a stretch from Indiana into Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, reaching into parts of northern Maine.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Over 30 million people across the region are under a severe storm threat today, while flood watches are in effect for more than 13 million people from Texas to Georgia amid heavy downpours, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Here are the watches and warnings in effect for the rest of the state:
Many without power as storm damages buildings across southeast
NWS preliminary reports show tornados, hail and severe wind struck Gulf Coast states Tuesday, downing trees and damaging buildings.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
The Garmin Lily 2 focuses on lifestyle features for women looking to have support in being more active, recording various types of exercise, analyzing sleep quality and quantity, and having a chic everyday watch rather than a utilitarian sports watch.
—PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2024
One website published a photograph from 2009 in which Kirill could be seen wearing a Breguet watch worth about $30,000.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Wednesday addresses flooding and flood watches and warnings.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024
IndyStar staff will be at watch parties across Central Indiana, bringing you a front-row seat to the celestial celebrations.
—Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2024
Verb
A week later a record 2.45 million viewers on average tuned in to the WNBA draft to watch as Clark went to the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 pick.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2024
Per Yahoo Sports, Franklin started in Gaithersburg, Md. with Fashanu, 21, and his family to watch him get drafted by the New York Jets as the 11th overall pick in the NFL draft.
—Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024
One day, Elo-Rivera watched a moving truck pull up by their house in Huntington Beach to cart off belongings, a beloved Ken Griffey Jr. baseball card included.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Apr. 2024
Goff proceeds to carefully watch tips on things like being spontaneous and stealing a police helicopter as Murphy's comedic mayhem is seen in quick glimpses.
—Julie Hinds, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024
One May afternoon in 2004, in Florida, my four children – all under the age of 7 – were sitting at home watching Veggie Tales.
—Essence, 26 Apr. 2024
Viewers watched the Abbott matriarch slowly and heartbreakingly unravel before dying in an episode in October 2020.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Apr. 2024
The men push the seemingly fragile rocks down the canyon twice, destroying the formations to rubble as the group of three watch it without much visible reaction.
—The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024
Tourists still come from across the world to see the Sistine Chapel, and millions of people still watch Seinfeld and Friends on streaming services.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
Noun
Lucky for you, said watches will soon be up for grabs.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
Around 17 million people are under flood watches in a stretch from Indiana into Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, reaching into parts of northern Maine.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Over 30 million people across the region are under a severe storm threat today, while flood watches are in effect for more than 13 million people from Texas to Georgia amid heavy downpours, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Here are the watches and warnings in effect for the rest of the state:
Many without power as storm damages buildings across southeast
NWS preliminary reports show tornados, hail and severe wind struck Gulf Coast states Tuesday, downing trees and damaging buildings.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
The Garmin Lily 2 focuses on lifestyle features for women looking to have support in being more active, recording various types of exercise, analyzing sleep quality and quantity, and having a chic everyday watch rather than a utilitarian sports watch.
—PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2024
One website published a photograph from 2009 in which Kirill could be seen wearing a Breguet watch worth about $30,000.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Wednesday addresses flooding and flood watches and warnings.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2024
IndyStar staff will be at watch parties across Central Indiana, bringing you a front-row seat to the celestial celebrations.
—Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'watch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to watch
Dictionary Entries Near watch
Cite this Entry
“Watch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watch. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
watch
1 of 2 verb
ˈwäch 
ˈwȯch
1
: to stay awake especially during the night (as at the bedside of a sick person)
2
: to be on the alert or on the lookout
3
: to keep guard
watch outside the door
4
: to keep one's eyes on : keep in view
watch a game
5
: to keep in view so as to prevent harm or warn of danger
watch a brush fire carefully
6
: to keep oneself informed about
watch his career
7
: to be on the alert for the chance to make use of
watched her opportunity and took it
watcher
noun
watch
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the act of keeping awake to guard, protect, or attend
b
: a state of alert and continuous attention
a tornado watch
c
: close observation
kept a watch over the prisoner
2
a
: watchman
b
: a body of watchmen
3
a
: a period during which a part of a ship's company is on duty
b
: the part of a ship's company on duty during a watch
4
: a portable timepiece designed to be worn (as on the wrist) or carried in the pocket
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