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View synonyms for watchdog

watchdog

[ woch-dawg, -dog ]

noun

  1. a dog kept to guard property.
  2. a watchful guardian:

    a self-appointed watchdog of the public morals.



adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a watchdog.
  2. organized or functioning as a watchful guardian, especially against illegal or unethical conduct:

    a watchdog group in the legislature.

verb (used with object)

, watch·dogged, watch·dog·ging.
  1. to watch carefully, especially so as to detect illegal or unethical conduct.

watchdog

/ ˈwɒtʃˌdɒɡ /

noun

  1. a dog kept to guard property
    1. a person or group of persons that acts as a protector or guardian against inefficiency, illegal practices, etc
    2. ( as modifier )

      a watchdog committee



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Word History and Origins

Origin of watchdog1

First recorded in 1600–10; watch + dog

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Example Sentences

There was no point at which Facebook or Twitter was becoming the watchdog.

From Digiday

Also Wednesday, Europe’s longest-running and perhaps most important tech privacy case—also involving Facebook—began heading for a resolution after the Irish watchdog agreed to stop dragging it out.

From Fortune

“The money simply falls through a trap door without oversight from regulators and consumer watchdogs,” said Mike Dark, a lawyer with the nonprofit California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

Government watchdogs have criticized Boeing, the prime contractor, for poor performance and NASA for lax oversight.

Ant’s top executives are part of a task force that already has almost daily interactions with watchdogs.

From Fortune

He charged his trusted advisor Yitzhak Molcho to act as a watchdog to prevent any progress.

According to the watchdog group, this systemic abuse has led to hundreds of political prisoners being detained across the country.

One watchdog group reported shortages of ballots, technical problems, and ballot stuffing.

The familiar notion of the press as a watchdog for government only arose much later.

Thankfully, a watchdog group of unskewers at the Science Media Centre examined the actual facts.

In reality, each boy is an unpaid pion, a watchdog whose vigilance never relaxes.

In his capacity as the Swifts' business manager, he had earned the nickname "watchdog of the treasury."

Curumilla lay down without saying a word, like a good watchdog, across the door of the lodge inhabited by Doa Clara.

The second-man was standing before the library door with folded arms and a watchdog expression on his cockney face.

He stabled Fox and Peanut, then went to the kitchen where Chappo, like a faithful old watchdog, was dozing beside the stove.

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