observe
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to see, watch, perceive, or notice.
He observed the passersby in the street.
- Antonyms:
- ignore
-
to regard with attention, especially so as to see or learn something.
I want you to observe her reaction to the judge's question.
- Synonyms:
- note
- Antonyms:
- ignore
-
to watch, view, or note for a scientific, official, or other special purpose.
to observe an eclipse.
- Antonyms:
- ignore
-
to state by way of comment; remark.
He observed frequently that clerks were not as courteous as they used to be.
-
to keep or maintain in one's action, conduct, etc..
You must observe quiet.
-
to obey, comply with, or conform to.
to observe laws.
- Antonyms:
- ignore
-
to show regard for by some appropriate procedure, ceremony, etc..
to observe Palm Sunday.
- Antonyms:
- ignore
-
to perform duly or solemnize (ceremonies, rites, etc.).
- Antonyms:
- ignore
-
to note or inspect closely for an omen or sign of future events.
verb (used without object)
-
to notice.
-
to act as an observer.
-
to remark or comment (usually followed by on orupon ).
verb
-
(tr; may take a clause as object) to see; perceive; notice
we have observed that you steal
-
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to watch (something) carefully; pay attention to (something)
-
to make observations of (something), esp scientific ones
-
to make a comment or remark
the speaker observed that times had changed
-
(tr) to abide by, keep, or follow (a custom, tradition, law, holiday, etc)
Related Words
Observe, witness imply paying strict attention to what one sees or perceives. Both are “continuative” in action. To observe is to mark or be attentive to something seen, heard, etc.; to consider carefully; to watch steadily: to observe the behavior of birds, a person's pronunciation. To witness, formerly to be present when something was happening, has added the idea of having observed with sufficient care to be able to give an account as evidence: to witness an accident.
Other Word Forms
- nonobserving adjective
- nonobservingly adverb
- observable adjective
- observableness noun
- observably adverb
- observedly adverb
- observingly adverb
- preobserve verb (used with object)
- quasi-observed adjective
- reobserve verb
- self-observed adjective
- unobserved adjective
- unobserving adjective
- well-observed adjective
Etymology
Origin of observe
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English observen, from Middle French observer, from Latin observāre “to watch, regard, attend to,” equivalent to ob- ob- + servāre “to keep, save, pay heed to”
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.
The inquest into her death, held in 2025, was told staff who were meant to be observing her were sitting outside her room and could only see her feet.
From BBC
But the regulator often can’t observe the agent’s true costs, underlying motivations, or day-to-day behavior.
After all, as Chase observes, there is “nothing better in the whole world than being asked to play.”
“These results are inconsistent with the findings observed across thousands of tests we perform annually,” the company said.
From Salon
China’s diversification into renewables will alleviate some of the pressure, Nguyen observes, but its economy is still essentially oil , gas and coal dependent.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
