Meaning & use
watchful
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Paying close attention to what is happening, especially to notice danger or problems.
Grammar: Often used before a noun: a watchful eye; or after 'be': stay watchful.
Patterns
- watchful eye
- keep a watchful eye on someone/something
- be watchful for something
The lifeguard kept a watchful eye on the children in the pool.
Parents should be watchful for signs of illness.
She was watchful as she walked home alone at night.
Word forms
| comparative | more watchful |
|---|---|
| superlative | most watchful |
Common combinations
- keep a watchful eye on
- Please keep a watchful eye on my bag while I'm away.
- watchful eye
- Under the watchful eye of the coach, the team practiced.
- be watchful for
- Be watchful for any changes in the patient's condition.
Synonyms and how they differ
- alert
- Alert suggests being quick to notice and react, while watchful emphasizes steady, careful observation.
- attentive
- Attentive often means paying polite attention to someone, not necessarily looking out for danger.
Opposites
Word family
- watchfully adverb
- In a watchful manner.
- watchfulness noun
- The state of being watchful.
Commonly confused: watchful or watchable?
watchful vs watchable
Watchable means interesting enough to watch, as in a watchable film; watchful means paying careful attention.
Practice
Complete the sentence: The mother kept a ______ eye on her toddler at the playground.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'keep a watchful eye on someone'. The other forms do not fit the adjective position before 'eye'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “watchful”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.