Showing results for observe. Search instead for outserve.

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

But to maximize the experience, scientists say the best time to observe a supermoon is when it’s close to the horizon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

This allowed the team to observe how the brain's activity changed as the mice transitioned between experiences associated with safety and threat.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

Both Lantratova and Lubinets called for the initiative to be repeated elsewhere, and Ukraine repeatedly said it would be prepared to observe similar ceasefires on a national level too.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Picnic mats and drone photography were banned, and noisy, mobile-phone-toting tourists were kept well away from the graves and cautioned to observe respectful silence.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

What might you observe about music in this culture?

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

“Through a magnifying glass, the decorations revealed a hidden world,” Bardo observes of a piece of gold-encrusted jewelry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Watching a recent Maine stop for the Atlantic, Russell Berman observes Sanders in action: “Before I started talking about it, people would say, ‘What the hell is an oligarch?’ he told the crowd in Bangor.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026

Previous rebounds have been powerful, it observes, with 32% jumps and outperformance of the S&P 500 by 30%.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026

States have long had the option to opt out of daylight saving time with congressional approval, although most of America observes it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026

But Ma listens for a minute to the soldier's voice; observes his gestures, medals, stripes, and uniform; and says nothing.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

As the director Barrie Kosky observed in an interview earlier this year, the famous spectacles occupy perhaps 20 minutes of roughly 16 hours of music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Global forecasters have been warning for months that this El Nino, which is expected to peak later this year, would likely become the strongest ever observed.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

Most important, she retains the devotion of her family and friends, who have observed her romantic choices with dismay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Researchers noted that the differences observed in the study could be clinically meaningful if they persist over time.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026

I observed the Humans as they communicated in their barbaric tongue.

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

Meteorologists said Friday they were observing an unprecedented early disruption of the polar vortex, raising the risk of cold snaps across the Northern Hemisphere, though there remains significant uncertainty.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

In quantum physics, observing a system is not necessarily a harmless process.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

Spain was observing the second of three days of national mourning on Friday, with the public demanding answers just weeks before an early general election on November 29.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

The country is observing three days of mourning, as the families of victims and the survivors of the crash struggle to comprehend how it could have happened.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Axel’s been observing the nest for many years.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

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