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
Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Loading your audio article Of all the overseas leaders avidly watching the U.S. election results, the two happiest were probably Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
—Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 13 Nov. 2024
Curbed Staff, Curbed, 6 Nov. 2024
In one instance, a man survived a gunshot only due to his pocket watch deflecting the bullet, while another joined the Union army after deserting the Confederacy.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for watch 
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.
Verb
Suspecting that the bear in question was in fact not a bear at all, detectives asked a California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist to watch the videos and weigh in.
—Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Loading your audio article Of all the overseas leaders avidly watching the U.S. election results, the two happiest were probably Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
—Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
Photo: David Dee Delgado/AFP/Getty Images Members and supporters of the New York Immigration Coalition at an Election Night watch party at their offices in New York City.
—Curbed Staff, Curbed, 6 Nov. 2024
In one instance, a man survived a gunshot only due to his pocket watch deflecting the bullet, while another joined the Union army after deserting the Confederacy.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for watch
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 28 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share