watcher

American  

[woch-er] / ˈwɒtʃ ər /

noun

watchers plural

1. a person who watches or who keeps watch.

2. an analytic observer of trends, fashions, events, celebrities, or the like.

   Fashion watchers will have noted that pleats have become popular again.

3. a professional or experienced observer and analyst of political and historic trends and events, countries, or the like.

   China watchers in the State Department predict a change in that country's trade policy.

4. poll watcher.

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watcher British  

/ ˈwɒtʃə /

noun

1. a person who watches

2. a person who maintains a vigil at the bedside of an invalid

3. a representative of a candidate or party stationed at a poll on election day to watch out for fraud

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underwatcher
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• watchers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of watcher

First recorded in 1500–10; watch + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Ed Yardeni, the renowned Wall Street economist and Fed watcher, has put forth a different argument.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

Seven-time Grammy winner Madonna is a regular watcher of Chelsea's men's and women's teams and was at Stamford Bridge in October when the men's side beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Premier League.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

“It shows that inflation can be unpredictable,” said Ken Tumin, co-founder of Deposit Quest, who has long been an I-bond watcher and buyer.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

As one longtime Berkshire watcher told Barron’s, why publicly announce the restart of a repurchase program—which isn’t required from a regulatory standpoint—and then repurchase just a minimal amount of stock?

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

During the day there was always a watcher on the cliff and each night as we sat around our fires we wondered if the next sun would bring him home.

From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• onlooker