watchword

American  

[woch-wurd] / ˈwɒtʃˌwɜrd /

noun

1. a word or short phrase to be communicated, on challenge, to a sentinel or guard; password or countersign.

   Synonyms:

   shibboleth

2. a word or phrase expressive of a principle or rule of action; slogan.

   Conservation has been our watchword.

   Synonyms:

   shibboleth

3. a rallying cry of a party, club, team, etc.

   Synonyms:

   motto

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watchword British  

/ ˈwɒtʃˌwɜːd /

noun

1. another word for password

2. a rallying cry or slogan

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Etymology

Origin of watchword

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; watch, word

Example Sentences

In other words, affordability was the watchword before the high court’s decision, and it remains so.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

“Uncertainty” was already a buzzword in 2025, but in 2026, it will become the dominant corporate watchword among American business leaders.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

The watchword in Venice, by contrast, was “colorito”—colorful.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Sleepless diligence had been the watchword of the previous war; now that paranoia turned inward.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2025

Just as “victory” had been the watchword for the past four years, now “reconversion” came to the fore, with the United States trying to adjust its psyche and its economy to the peace.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly