watchful

adjective

watch·​ful ˈwäch-fəl 

ˈwȯch-

1

archaic

a

: not able or accustomed to sleep or rest : wakeful

b

: causing sleeplessness

c

: spent in wakefulness : sleepless

2

: carefully observant or attentive : being on the watch

watchfully

ˈwäch-fə-lē 

ˈwȯch-

adverb

watchfulness noun

Synonyms

• alert
• Argus-eyed
• attentive
• awake
• observant
• open-eyed
• tenty [Scottish]
• tentie
• vigilant
• wide-awake

Choose the Right Synonym for watchful

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity.

watchful is the least explicit term.

the watchful eye of the department supervisor

vigilant suggests intense, unremitting, wary watchfulness.

eternally vigilant in the safeguarding of democracy

wide-awake applies to watchfulness for opportunities and developments more often than dangers.

wide-awake companies latched onto the new technology

alert stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger or in seizing opportunity.

alert traders anticipated the stock market's slide

Examples of watchful in a Sentence

We need to be more watchful of our children.

The hotel is being built under the watchful eye of its architect.

Recent Examples on the Web

Given the building’s status as a listed monument, the renovation took a few years to bring installations up to museum standards, under the watchful eye of France’s historic monuments bodies. —Lily Templeton, WWD, 20 June 2024

Advertisement But after playing catch in the outfield under the watchful eyes of general manager Brandon Gomes and several members of the training staff last Tuesday afternoon, Yamamoto did not proceed to the bullpen to throw a between-starts session. —Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2024

Residents would come out to clean up their apartment grounds or repair facilities under the watchful eye of the local party secretary, or students would provide free labor on construction sites as part of their studies. —Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2024

Policymakers have been keeping a watchful eye on wage growth, which can push up consumer prices if companies pass on higher wage costs rather than absorbing them. —Eshe Nelson, New York Times, 6 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing watchful

• keep a watchful eye on (someone or something)
• under the watchful/vigilant eye of

Kids Definition

watchful

adjective

watch·​ful ˈwäch-fəl 

ˈwȯch-

: continually on the lookout especially for danger

watchfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

watchfulness noun