watch
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To observe over a period of time.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
wahchIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈwɑtʃ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
transitive
To observe over a period of time; to notice or pay attention.
“They watched as the murderer was executed.”
ambitransitive
To look at, see, or view for a period of time.
ambitransitive
Look attentively
intransitive
To remain awake with a sick or dying person; to maintain a vigil.
intransitive
To be vigilant or on one's guard.
intransitive
To act as a lookout.
noun
A small portable timepiece
A portable or wearable timepiece.
The post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept.
The act of guarding and observing someone or something.
A person or group of people who guard.
A particular time period when guarding is kept.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: To observe over a period of time; to notice or pay attention.
Used this way, watch is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“They watched as the murderer was executed.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use watch
- “Watch how the dog chases the cats away.”verb
- “Watch a basketball game.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
The act of observing.
A close observer.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Engaged in or accustomed to close observation.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Be vigilant, be on the lookout or be careful.
Follow with the eyes or the mind.
A vest pocket to hold a pocket watch.
Short chain or ribbon attaching a pocket watch to a man's vest.
Laboratory glassware.
A fire lighted at night as a signal.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
A guard who keeps watch.
An observation tower for a lookout to watch over prisoners or watch for fires or enemies.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: small portable timepiece
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.