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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

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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

She had struggled to walk much and would often observe the tree from home.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Parents, he said, have the legal right to observe classes and meet with teachers, and the expectation is that teachers will communicate freely and often with parents about a child’s needs and progress.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Future studies that observe larger portions of the sky for longer periods should allow astronomers to map neutral hydrogen with even greater precision.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026

Nearby, locals gathered to observe the team's efforts, offering drinking water to first responders.

From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026

I use my camera to observe my own shell.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Meanwhile, the Truist team observes that tech’s forward earnings growth remains by far the strongest in the market, with estimates rising approximately 20% over just the past three months.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

“I achieved freedom by living like a free man,” he observes in his memoir, “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” portions from which he reads in the film to serve as narration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Earlier in the night, Field won best actress in a limited series or movie for Remarkably Smart Creatures, a Netflix film about an octopus who observes the staff in his aquarium.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

She is not alone in feeling emotional as the nation observes the 25th anniversary of the attack.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

An 1870s account, quoted in Into the Mountains, observes: “Mt. Lafayette is...a true alp, with peaks and crags on which lightnings play, its sides brown with scars and deep with gorges.”

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

During his time out of the octagon, he observed how the division changed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

In the human tissue samples, UroA activated the same protective pathway observed in the other experiments.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

The oil trading business of the French energy giant observed the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Scientists have long observed pronounced swellings in dying neurons and in neurodegenerative conditions, including Parkinson's disease.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

Nhamo had often observed binza hunting in the stream.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Last week, he posted a picture of Harp straining under an oversized pack, while observing that its size did nothing to quell “diaper bag allegations.”

From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026

As the sun set on the anniversary of 9/11, Jewish New Yorkers began observing Rosh Hashanah.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Despite the unprecedented nature of the strike, the Ukrainian president proposed observing a ceasefire with Russia for the duration of the US envoys' trip.

From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026

The Wide Field Instrument will focus on observing the night sky with the clarity of Hubble, but cover a vastly greater area than the 36-year-old observatory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026

I glance toward the camera I’m sure is observing us.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

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