What does "observe" mean?

1. (to watch carefully) to watch someone or something carefully, often to learn something new. 2. (to follow a rule) to obey a law, a rule, or a religious custom. 3. (to celebrate a holiday) to mark or celebrate a special day, like a holiday. 4. (to make a comment) to say or write a remark about something you have noticed.

observe — meaning, definition & examples

Q: How do you use "observe"?

Often used with a direct object or a 'that' clause. Transitive; takes a direct object representing the rule or law. Often introduces a direct quote or a 'that' clause.

Word

01to watch carefully

B2 · Upper Intermediate Science

v. to watch someone or something carefully, often to learn something new.

v. to watch or monitor something with attention to detail, often for scientific or investigative purposes.

“The scientists stayed up all night to observe the behavior of the birds.”

“Researchers spent several months in the field to observe how the local wolf population interacted with neighboring packs during the winter.”

Usage

Often used with a direct object or a 'that' clause.

Synonyms

watch monitor view

Antonyms

ignore miss

02to follow a rule

B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal

v. to obey a law, a rule, or a religious custom.

v. to comply with or adhere to a law, regulation, or religious tradition.

“Drivers must observe the speed limit to keep the roads safe.”

“The company failed to observe the safety regulations, resulting in a significant fine from the environmental protection agency.”

Usage

Transitive; takes a direct object representing the rule or law.

Synonyms

obey follow uphold

Antonyms

break violate disobey

03to celebrate a holiday

B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal

v. to mark or celebrate a special day, like a holiday.

v. to acknowledge or celebrate a holiday, anniversary, or significant event through traditional practices.

“Many people observe a moment of silence to remember the soldiers.”

“The embassy will be closed on Monday as the staff observe the national holiday of their home country.”

Synonyms

celebrate keep mark

Antonyms

ignore

04to make a comment

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to say or write a remark about something you have noticed.

v. to make a verbal or written remark; to comment on a situation or fact.

“"It is getting quite late," she observed as she looked at the clock.”

“The critic observed that the director's latest film lacked the emotional depth of his earlier masterpieces.”

Usage

Often introduces a direct quote or a 'that' clause.

Synonyms

remark comment note

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “observe” in context.

Adverb

01. additionally observe

“Researchers additionally observe that the temperature increases significantly during the summer months.”

adv + verb

02. directly observe

“Students were able to directly observe the chemical reaction taking place in the test tube.”

adv + verb

03. finally observe

“After hours of waiting, the birdwatchers could finally observe the rare eagle in its nest.”

adv + verb

04. frequently observe

“Doctors frequently observe a link between high stress levels and poor sleep quality.”

adv + verb

05. typically observe

“In this region, people typically observe traditional customs during the harvest festival.”

adv + verb

“After spending hundreds of hours observing harbor porpoises from the pedestrian walkway of the Golden Gate Bridge, William Keener learned to say “porpoise” in a dozen languages.”

Smithsonian Magazine 14 Aug 2026

“They allow researchers to observe how people detect patterns and learn new structures without the "noise" of their mother tongue.”

Phys.org 12 Aug 2026

“While our data can't tell us exactly why people adopt particular labels, it allows us to observe patterns across generations and countries on a scale that has not been possible before," said Rampazzo.”

Phys.org 11 Aug 2026

“In contrast, anonymized, real-time banking data allows researchers to observe actual spending spikes, missed payments or sudden changes in financial behavior without bias.”

Phys.org 11 Aug 2026

From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), from ob- (“before”) + servō (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

VERB

observe(B2)

NOUN

ADJECTIVE