keep tabs on

phrase

informal
: to carefully watch (someone or something) in order to learn what that person or thing is doing
We are keeping tabs on their movements.
The magazine keeps tabs on the latest fashion trends.

Examples of keep tabs on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gee, who used to pop into fraternity parties unannounced to keep tabs on them, said he is not bothered by the reintegration of the three formerly rogue organizations. — Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 For shoppers who want to keep tabs on their holiday purchases and see how their spending adds up, Rocket Money's free tier can be a useful place to start. — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026 One camera handles standard eye-level views, while a second lens points straight down at the ground to keep tabs on packages. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 Participants in the new marketplace will be able to keep tabs on planning, activation, optimization and other tasks all under one system. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for keep tabs on

Rhymes for keep tabs on

See All Rhymes for keep tabs on

Browse Nearby Words

keep step
keep tabs on
keep the ball rolling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Keep tabs on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep%20tabs%20on. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All