watcher

American  

[woch-er] / ˈwɒtʃ ər /

noun

1. a person who watches or who keeps watch.

2. an analytic observer of trends, fashions, events, celebrities, or the like.

   Fashion watchers will have noted that pleats have become popular again.

3. a professional or experienced observer and analyst of political and historic trends and events, countries, or the like.

   China watchers in the State Department predict a change in that country's trade policy.

4. poll watcher.

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watcher British  

/ ˈwɒtʃə /

noun

1. a person who watches

2. a person who maintains a vigil at the bedside of an invalid

3. a representative of a candidate or party stationed at a poll on election day to watch out for fraud

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Other Word Forms

• underwatcher
  noun

Etymology

Origin of watcher

First recorded in 1500–10; watch + -er ¹

Example Sentences

“It shows that inflation can be unpredictable,” said Ken Tumin, co-founder of Deposit Quest, who has long been an I-bond watcher and buyer.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

As one longtime Berkshire watcher told Barron’s, why publicly announce the restart of a repurchase program—which isn’t required from a regulatory standpoint—and then repurchase just a minimal amount of stock?

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

"It was an intelligence failure," says Cheong Seong-chang, a North Korea watcher and vice-president at Sejong Institute who was an early proponent of the theory that Ju Ae will become the heir.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

“Unless the labor market weakens further, the Fed appears content to wait for tariff inflation to fade before resuming cuts,” SEB’s Fed watcher Elisabet Kopelman said in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

The little cry came again and the watcher looked up the side of the hill to the dark cave.

From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• onlooker