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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

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

“The people in Lewisville, Texas have a reasonable expectation of privacy from police officers in Pampa, Texas, and yet they can observe all that data,” Little said.

From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026

It’s still summer break in the U.S., so regular classes at the majority of schools and colleges are not in session yet, and those that are tend to observe the federal holiday.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

More than two million tourists travel to the islands each year—drawn by the clear waters where they can observe marine life like turtles, manta rays and whale sharks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

I do not know how not to observe them.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Remarkably Bright Creatures, a drama starring Sally Field and Lewis Pullman about a perceptive octopus who observes the staff in his aquarium, won best movie.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

More often, it simply observes the family tensions that go unsaid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

The U.S. trade balance widened substantially in July to -$88.6 billion, due to both a decline in exports and a rise in imports, observes Veronica Clark at Citigroup.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

Because the telescope observes from space, it can capture sharper images across complete rotations of Saturn without the blurring caused by Earth's atmosphere.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

“This kid has people who love him unconditionally. They understand what he did was a horrible, stupid, act,” he observes.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

As David Hume observed, empirical science depends on induction: We generalize from what has been observed to what hasn’t.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Now, an international team working at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI has observed a related effect at the atomic scale.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

"They do not participate in active combat operations. Units of the Korean People's Army have not been observed in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine," HUR said in a statement to the BBC.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

As the new prime minister's universe settles, a key Labour figure observed: "We've had the amuse–bouche and it was very tasty. What happens next?"

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

During our group discussion, I reported what I have observed so far.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

Knutti agreed that this was a good example of how satellite data could potentially be used for "systematic observing systems for disaster prevention that could save hundreds or thousands of lives".

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

When it comes to China, “everyone’s feelings have crossed a threshold,” said Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, observing that even Russia didn’t oppose the statement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

This region is especially useful for powerful space observatories because it provides a favorable environment for continuously observing the universe.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

“What we’re observing is actually tides that are ... 4 to 6 inches above predicted. And that’s quite a bit,” said Jeremy Smith, a coastal engineer with the California Coastal Commission.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

“Here is what the Chumley family has communicated to me thus far about how the contest will work: ‘Judges, whose identities will not be disclosed, will be observing your performance for the next several weeks.

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

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