Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

stopwatch

American  
[stop-woch] / ˈstɒpˌwɒtʃ /

noun

  • stopwatches
    plural
  1. a watch with a hand or hands that can be stopped or started at any instant, used for precise timing, as in races.


stopwatch British  
/ ˈstɒpˌwɒtʃ /

noun

  1. a type of watch used for timing events, such as sporting events, accurately, having a device for stopping the hand or hands instantly

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of stopwatch

First recorded in 1730–40; stop + watch


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:

Racing against a stopwatch, a group of women folds bedsheets as they train to join an Indian startup that offers instant home services, transforming a traditionally word-of-mouth sector and promising better pay.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

The persistent, rhythmic ticking of the “60 Minutes” stopwatch is like the heartbeat of American investigative journalism.

From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026

As a young Klaebo experimented with this unconventional approach, his grandfather clocked him with a stopwatch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

First it was a pencil, paper and a stopwatch.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2025

Shinnying out onto a perilous but hidden spot, he gripped the roof with one hand and his stopwatch with the other.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

In the church, Ferrari and his workers have their stopwatches out to time the Maserati.

From New York Times ● Jan. 19, 2024

Even among the irrepressible talents of his co-stars, Perry stood out, for a rubbery, heedless way with physical comedy and a split-second timing that most stopwatches would envy.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 3, 2023

Discovering how workers could perform more efficiently often meant timing their movements with stopwatches to make sure they did not attach parts or move levers inefficiently.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

Players click stopwatches hanging from their waists, calling out the time it takes for a throw to reach the target, or “house.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2022

Unable to catch him on their stopwatches, some of them began to circulate old rumors that Seabiscuit was lame.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com