observation
Americannoun
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observations
plural
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an act or instance of noticing or perceiving.
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an act or instance of regarding attentively or watching.
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the faculty or habit of observing or noticing.
- Synonyms:
- attention
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notice.
to escape a person's observation.
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an act or instance of viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for some scientific or other special purpose.
the observation of blood pressure under stress.
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the information or record secured by such an act.
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something that is learned in the course of observing things.
My observation is that such clouds mean a storm.
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a remark, comment, or statement based on what one has noticed or observed.
- Synonyms:
- opinion, pronouncement
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the condition of being observed.
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Navigation.
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the measurement of the altitude or azimuth of a heavenly body for navigational purposes.
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the information obtained by such a measurement.
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Obsolete. observance, as of the law.
noun
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the act of observing or the state of being observed
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a comment or remark
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detailed examination of phenomena prior to analysis, diagnosis, or interpretation
the patient was under observation
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the facts learned from observing
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an obsolete word for observance
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nautical
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a sight taken with an instrument to determine the position of an observer relative to that of a given heavenly body
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the data so taken
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Synonym Usage
See remark.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonobservationnoun
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preobservationnoun
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reobservationnoun
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self-observationnoun
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observationaladjective
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observationallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of observation
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin observātiōn-, stem of observātiō “attention, inspection, surveillance,” from observāt(us) “watched” (past participle of observāre “to watch, regard, attend to”; see observe) + -iō -ion
Explanation
When you take a good look at something, noticing facts or taking measurements, you are engaging in observation, something a little more intense than just a quick glance. When you share an observation, you communicate an insight. The Latin verb observāre, "to attend to," is the foundation for our word observation, which requires that you pay attention. If a hospital holds you overnight for observation, they want to keep an eye on your condition. If you have a lot of funny or interesting observations on a topic, maybe you should write a book. Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell once said, "If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk."
Vocabulary lists containing observation
The Scientific Method
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The ACT Science Test: The Scientific Method
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Common Core Grades 7–8, List 5
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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:
No one understands their audience better than she does, knowing comedy relies as much on observation as on good, old-fashioned slapstick.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
The finding provides a potential explanation for an otherwise puzzling observation.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
As he neared the edge of the village, Stupnikov heard a shout from one of the two-story homes on the street, which served as a brigade observation post.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Every tweet is met with an infinite scroll of rejoinders; no observation she posits goes unpunished.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
Halloa being a general observation which I had usually observed to be best answered by itself, I said, “Halloa!” politely omitting young fellow.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
In 2025, researchers began incorporating observations from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's GCOM-W satellite, helping maintain the decades-long record used to understand Antarctica's changing ice.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
By combining observations from telescopes in Australia, the United States, India, South Africa, and space, the scientists pieced together a clearer picture of how black holes behave as they consume matter.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
His bits come off as observations in the form of confrontation, while balancing an act of entertainment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Together, these observations suggest that experiences early in life can substantially influence how efficiently animals move as adults.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Proper naked-eye observations of novae and comets could produce results incompatible with celestial-sphere astronomy, but these results were irrelevant to planetary predictions.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
