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Synonyms

observe

American

[uhb-zurv] / əbˈzɜrv /

verb (used with object)

to see, watch, perceive, or notice.

He observed the passersby in the street.

Antonyms:

ignore
to regard with attention, especially so as to see or learn something.

I want you to observe her reaction to the judge's question.

Synonyms:

note

Antonyms:

ignore
to watch, view, or note for a scientific, official, or other special purpose.

to observe an eclipse.

Antonyms:

ignore
to state by way of comment; remark.

He observed frequently that clerks were not as courteous as they used to be.

Synonyms:

say, mention
to keep or maintain in one's action, conduct, etc..

You must observe quiet.
to obey, comply with, or conform to.

to observe laws.

Synonyms:

fulfill, follow

Antonyms:

ignore
to show regard for by some appropriate procedure, ceremony, etc..

to observe Palm Sunday.

Synonyms:

keep, celebrate

Antonyms:

ignore
to perform duly or solemnize (ceremonies, rites, etc.).

Antonyms:

ignore
to note or inspect closely for an omen or sign of future events.

verb (used without object)

to notice.
to act as an observer.
to remark or comment (usually followed by on orupon ).

observe British

/ əbˈzɜːv /

verb

(tr; may take a clause as object) to see; perceive; notice

we have observed that you steal
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to watch (something) carefully; pay attention to (something)
to make observations of (something), esp scientific ones
to make a comment or remark

the speaker observed that times had changed
(tr) to abide by, keep, or follow (a custom, tradition, law, holiday, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

Observe, witness imply paying strict attention to what one sees or perceives. Both are “continuative” in action. To observe is to mark or be attentive to something seen, heard, etc.; to consider carefully; to watch steadily: to observe the behavior of birds, a person's pronunciation. To witness, formerly to be present when something was happening, has added the idea of having observed with sufficient care to be able to give an account as evidence: to witness an accident.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of observe

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English observen, from Middle French observer, from Latin observāre “to watch, regard, attend to,” equivalent to ob- ob- + servāre “to keep, save, pay heed to”

Explanation

Observe is often used to mean “remark” or “comment.” When trying to start up a conversation with an attractive stranger, you might observe that it’s raining outside (but hopefully you’ll come up with something more interesting to say). Observe has several secondary meanings, one of which is “notice” or “discover.” If you start a conversation with that attractive stranger, you’ll probably observe whether he or she seems interested in talking to you. Observe can also mean “watch carefully with great interest”; you might be tempted to observe the attractive stranger in this manner, but that might make him or her uncomfortable. Try to stay cool.

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Vocabulary lists containing observe

Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List

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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5

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Memorial Day Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

observe observes observed observing

"Nasa will continue to track the booster for training purposes, as well as later observe the impact site for scientific purposes."

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

He said Monday that he had invited Trout to observe the team’s war room ahead of the trade deadline.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

One major obstacle was that a single spacecraft could not observe the undisturbed solar wind upstream of Mars while also measuring atmospheric ions escaping closer to the planet.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

Iranian electrician Hamed Kameli, 39, came all the way from Iran's holy city of Qom to observe the Arbaeen in Karbala, for the first time in seven years.

From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026

"But then I remembered that we gods send omens—we don't observe them."

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Demand is so strong right now, Baker observes that AI companies will be very reluctant to renegotiate terms with the chip makers because the latter can so easily find other buyers any time they like.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Maybe at peak valuations these stocks were trading on a price-earnings multiples of 30-40 times, Lapping observes, but not after the winnowing caused by AI fears:

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

While evolution lacks “intention,” the author observes, natural selection is “relentlessly, exquisitely” effective at enabling life to adapt to a range of environmental conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

“If Trump’s public pronouncements are his own personal property, he can sell information about them or do whatever he likes with them,” observes business law expert Ann Lipton of the University of Colorado.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

The discrediting of witnesses can be a highly effective tactic, and Quintilian observes that it can be done against whole categories of witnesses, as well as against individuals.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Germany and other European countries have repeatedly observed drones flying over sensitive sites such as airports, military bases and industrial plants.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

One of the world’s largest buyers of compute observed:

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

“The individual was observed walking throughout the golf course grounds taking photographs and videos and appearing to monitor security-planning activities,” the sheriff’s department said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

This allowed the researchers to determine whether the mechanism they observed in worms might also be relevant to human disease.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

John Adams observed bemusedly that “Mr. Madison looks worried to death. Pale, withered, haggard.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

“We’re just framing it as a way to be in the field observing marmots with us.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

“The entire time it was operating, there was at least one human observing it,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026

Psyche's multispectral imager began returning views of Mars in early May and continued observing the planet throughout the flyby.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

William Salt - an intern analyst - was discovered observing a Middlesbrough training session, and the saga known as Spygate began.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

We look around the grocery store, spending a lot of time in the candy aisle observing how different the flavors are—green tea Kit Kat bars, wasabi drops, squid-flavored gummies, and melon soda.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023