watchdog

1 of 2

noun

watch·​dog ˈwäch-ˌdȯg How to pronounce watchdog (audio)
ˈwȯch-
Synonyms of watchdognext
1
: a dog kept to guard property
2
: one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or undesirable practices

watchdog

2 of 2

verb

watchdogged; watchdogging; watchdogs

transitive verb

: to act as a watchdog for

Examples of watchdog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The Walton fortune rests on wages so low that a federal watchdog found Walmart among the biggest employers of workers on Medicaid and food stamps. — Christopher Marquis, Time, 16 Oct. 2026 In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking it to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law. — Jill Colvin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 In response, the watchdog group Campaign for Accountability filed a complaint Wednesday with the State Bar of California asking them to investigate whether Zacharia misrepresented herself as a lawyer in violation of California law. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Now, under a new government, the country’s public news outlets are working to rebuild a robust, critical media watchdog. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for watchdog

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of watchdog was in 1612

Rhymes for watchdog

See All Rhymes for watchdog

Browse Nearby Words

watch desk
watchdog
watcher
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Watchdog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watchdog. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

watchdog

noun
watch·​dog
ˈwäch-ˌdȯg, 
ˈwȯch-
1
: a dog kept to guard property
2
: one that guards against loss, waste, theft, or dishonesty

More from Merriam-Webster on watchdog

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