watchdog
Americannoun
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a dog kept to guard property.
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a watchful guardian.
a self-appointed watchdog of the public morals.
adjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a watchdog.
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organized or functioning as a watchful guardian, especially against illegal or unethical conduct.
a watchdog group in the legislature.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a dog kept to guard property
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a person or group of persons that acts as a protector or guardian against inefficiency, illegal practices, etc
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( as modifier )
a watchdog committee
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Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of watchdog
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.
The world's chemical weapons watchdog reinstated Syria on Thursday, noting a "significant change in circumstances" since the fall of Bashar al-Assad and "concrete steps" to dismantle his deadly stockpile of banned substances.
From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026
The decision is another victory for the European Commission, the EU's digital watchdog, after TikTok and Meta also lost challenges against the DMA.
From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026
But the watchdog said despite "serious failings", it had not issued a fine because the firm had started proactively dealing with its own network problems before an enforcement case was opened in July 2024.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
Carmarthenshire Council and Wales' environmental watchdog are investigating but Natural Resources Wales said it doesn't think the AMG Resources plant is "currently contributing to the reported increase in flies".
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026
Both terrified and incensed, the savage watchdog thundered around, tipping over another table and three more chairs—napkin holders bounced across the floor; a sugar bowl shattered.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
