Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Closely observant or alert; vigilant: synonym: careful.
  • adjective Archaic Not sleeping; awake.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Wakeful; sleepless.
  • Vigilant; careful; wary; cautious; observant; alert; on the watch: with of before the thing to be regulated or observed, and against before the thing to be avoided: as, to be watchful of one's behavior; to be watchful against the growth of vicious habits.
  • Synonyms Watchful, Vigilant, Wakeful, attentive, heedful, circumspect, guarded. Wakeful refers to the lack of disposition to sleep, especially at times when one would ordinarily have such a disposition; watchful and vigilant refer to the mind, will, or conduct: they are of about equal vigor; watchful is the broader in its range of meaning.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Full of watch; vigilant; attentive; careful to observe closely; observant; cautious; -- with of before the thing to be regulated or guarded; ; and with against before the thing to be avoided.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective observant, vigilant and aware

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective engaged in or accustomed to close observation
  • adjective experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness

Etymologies

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Examples

  • MESSNER: No. He's doing what they call watchful waiting and he's doing fine.

    CNN Transcript Sep 16, 2003 2003

  • "Rather than give everybody an antibiotic hoping to find the ones with bacteria, our findings would suggest refraining from antibiotics and doing what we call watchful waiting," she told Reuters Health.

    Reuters: Press Release 2012

  • "Rather than give everybody an antibiotic hoping to find the ones with bacteria, our findings would suggest refraining from antibiotics and doing what we call watchful waiting," she told Reuters Health.

    Reuters: Press Release 2012

  • We have to remain watchful on all fronts if this nation is to succeed.

    warming-gate 2009

  • We have to remain watchful on all fronts if this nation is to succeed.

    warming-gate 2009

  • The believers benefaction watchful is due to his doubt as good as not to rebellion.

    Archive 2009-11-01 admin 2009

  • We have to remain watchful on all fronts if this nation is to succeed.

    warming-gate 2009

  • The believers benefaction watchful is due to his doubt as good as not to rebellion.

    THE DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL LIFE-By Watchman Nee A Fair Mitre admin 2009

  • In many cases, no treatment is necessary for fibroids; this is called watchful waiting.

    OUR BODIES, OURSELVES The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective 2005

  • He turned slowly and looked at her, his expression watchful, almost wary.

    Rome's Revenge Craven, Sara 2001

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