stopwatch

American  

[stop-woch] / ˈstɒpˌwɒtʃ /

noun

1. a watch with a hand or hands that can be stopped or started at any instant, used for precise timing, as in races.

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stopwatch British  

/ ˈstɒpˌwɒtʃ /

noun

1. a type of watch used for timing events, such as sporting events, accurately, having a device for stopping the hand or hands instantly

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Etymology

Origin of stopwatch

First recorded in 1730–40; stop + watch

Example Sentences

In recent months, the iconic ticking stopwatch of the CBS News magazine “60 Minutes” began to sound like a time bomb.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

The persistent, rhythmic ticking of the “60 Minutes” stopwatch is like the heartbeat of American investigative journalism.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2026

As a young Klaebo experimented with this unconventional approach, his grandfather clocked him with a stopwatch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Accordingly, it has a stopwatch and is water-resistant up to a certain depth, unlike more delicate and perhaps technically nicer-looking analog watches.

From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026

He pulled his stopwatch out and pumped the trigger as the horse ripped past the marker.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Related Words

• timepiece
• wristwatch