watchman
noun
a person who keeps guard over a building at night, to protect it from fire, vandals, or thieves.
watchmen
-
pluralof watchman.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
In cellars and basements across the city, African-Americans hosted parties where white and black New Yorkers regularly shared the dance floor, imbibed together and sometimes got into fisticuffs that prompted the intervention of neighborhood watchmen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
It was those watchmen who came to the boathouse to report that they’d spotted a man in a waterproof jacket drag the Zodiac up the embankment.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025
Wealthy people employed "thief takers" to guard their property, whilst ordinary folk had to make do with volunteer watchmen, who focused on the more basic task of keeping order.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2025
For much of the next 12 years, soldiers and local watchmen patrolled the streets to ensure that shops remained open and penalize anyone they saw engaging in the usual festive excess.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2024
In return for food and a place to sleep, the six of us were appointed watchmen.
From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah
