1
2
as in to celebrate
to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony a time when few people in New England observed Christmas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
5
6

Synonym Chooser

How is the word observe different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of observe are celebrate, commemorate, and keep. While all these words mean "to notice or honor a day, occasion, or deed," observe suggests marking the occasion by ceremonious performance.

not all holidays are observed nationally

When is celebrate a more appropriate choice than observe?

The meanings of celebrate and observe largely overlap; however, celebrate suggests acknowledging an occasion by festivity.

traditionally celebrates Thanksgiving with a huge dinner

When is it sensible to use commemorate instead of observe?

Although the words commemorate and observe have much in common, commemorate suggests that an occasion is marked by observances that remind one of the origin and significance of the event.

commemorate Memorial Day with the laying of wreaths

When could keep be used to replace observe?

While the synonyms keep and observe are close in meaning, keep stresses the idea of not neglecting or violating.

kept the Sabbath by refraining from work

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of observe Male common wombats have been observed aggressively chasing females and leaving deep, painful bites on their rumps, puncturing their skin. Scott Travers, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024 In high heat conditions, defined as temperatures of 95 degrees or higher, employers are required to remind workers of safe practices, encourage breaks and drinking water, and observe them for signs or symptoms of heat illness. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024 Total deposits decreased by $32.0 million to $1.6 billion, with declines observed in interest-bearing demand accounts and money market accounts, partially offset by a rise in certificates of deposit. Quartz Bot, Quartz, 13 Dec. 2024 Once in place, researchers could visualize and observe which motor neurons lit up during what activities, such as bobbing the illicium to attract prey. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for observe 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for observe
Verb
  • Fortunately, William obeys and ends up licking his wounds in the same whorehouse as before.
    Lincee Ray, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2024
  • In Baum’s original books the winged monkeys are natural, native creatures to Oz, who are cursed to obey the commands of anyone who wears a magical Golden Cap, which is eventually acquired by Dorothy.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of Assad, gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule.
    ALBERT AJI AND MATTHEW LEE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Be quick to celebrate moments of achievement and display sincere concern when associates are in pain.
    Chip Bell, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Small changes to Pentagon procurement and climate policy are worth watching.
    Nick Sobczyk, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024
  • If that name doesn’t ring a bell, pause and go watch this legendary adventure movie.
    Jason Saltzman, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • These awards reflect Hutson’s leadership and impact on academia and industry.
    Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Some folks change their cases often, coordinating colors and patterns with their daily looks, while others choose one that reflects their continual style, matching any outfit or need for months to come.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Even those in the jewelry industry have noticed this trend.
    Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Before the first practice following the Northern Illinois loss, Leonard wrote that a couple of younger teammates noticed a change in his demeanor.
    Tim Casey, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The novel follows Violet Sorrengail, whose commanding mother denies her entry to the safe Scribe Quadrant and forces her into Basgiath War College, where students fight to become elite dragon riders.
    Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
  • The new, 74-section law envisages fines of $800 for first offenses and $1,500 for second offenses, followed by prison terms of up to 15 years for third offenses.
    Amir Vahdat and Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the 2030 World Cup was confirmed to be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco but with the first few games taking place in South America to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tournament.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
  • At a reading event hosted by Doyle on Dec. 3 to commemorate Chandler’s works, author John Ganz remarked on the irony of old Hollywood’s nostalgic appeal in the context of Chandler’s interpretation of that period.
    Rafaela Bassili, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The Harry Potter series is likely to not even begin filming until 2026, eyeing a 2027 release date.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Some seemed camera shy, eyeing the person filming to get out of their space, while others sniffed the camera out of curiosity.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near observe

Cite this Entry

“Observe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/observe. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on observe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!