as in alert
paying close attention usually for the purpose of anticipating approaching danger or opportunity
the toddler played under the watchful eye of her parents
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Recent Examples of watchful
Williams said staff will be extra watchful as students process Wilson’s death.
—
Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
The 17-year-old joins a steady stream of fighters on mats spattered with sweat, blood and occasional tears to spar under the watchful eye of Mansouri, a former professional MMA fighter who founded the space in 2020.
—Will Carless, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The church that three days before was filled with excited students and watchful teachers at the start of a new school year is now a crime scene.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
Across the street from the house, neighbor Anthony Striplin has kept a watchful eye on what goes on in his neighborhood, which sits a few blocks from the former Greenside housing project that was demolished in 2013.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watchful
Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
The 17-year-old joins a steady stream of fighters on mats spattered with sweat, blood and occasional tears to spar under the watchful eye of Mansouri, a former professional MMA fighter who founded the space in 2020.
—Will Carless, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The church that three days before was filled with excited students and watchful teachers at the start of a new school year is now a crime scene.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
Across the street from the house, neighbor Anthony Striplin has kept a watchful eye on what goes on in his neighborhood, which sits a few blocks from the former Greenside housing project that was demolished in 2013.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for watchful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for watchful
Adjective
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Knowing these risk factors can encourage individuals to be more alert about suicide.—
Eric Wood,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Both Stewart and Kalitta were alert and exited their cars under their own power.—
Lydia Mee,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In an era of frequent job changes, staying vigilant about your 401(k)s is essential.—
Brian Menickella,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Be vigilant about rooting them out until the first hard frost kills them.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Camera flashes burst against the walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, framing Blade Runner–esque vistas of the flickering skyline, a winking reminder that New York City is always wide awake.—
Alex Catarinella,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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However, some expressed concern over the fact that OP is sleeping while his baby daughter is still awake.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Because Arthur and his lookalike neighbor are so physically similar, the poster and her neighbors have to be careful not to mix them up.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
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This requires sterile environments and careful selection of the substrate.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Watchful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/watchful. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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