observer
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who watches or notices something carefully.
an individual who monitors or takes notice of events, often to gain information or understanding.
Simple“A casual observer might not notice the small changes in the painting.”
In context“To a trained observer, the subtle shifts in the bird's behaviour indicated that a predator was likely nearby in the tall grass.”
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person sent to a meeting or election to watch but not take part.
a representative delegated to attend a function or monitor a process to ensure fairness or gather data without active participation.
Simple“International observers were sent to make sure the election was fair.”
In context“The organization sent several observers to the climate summit to report back on the progress of the negotiations without joining the voting process.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a soldier or crew member who watches for enemy positions.
a person, such as a sentry or aircraft crew member, tasked with spotting enemy movements or identifying targets.
Simple“The observer used binoculars to scan the horizon for enemy ships.”
In context“The forward observer relayed the exact coordinates of the artillery fire to the command centre via a secure radio link.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
someone who follows a law, custom, or religious tradition.
one who adheres to or complies with laws, guidelines, or religious requirements.
Simple“He was a strict observer of the Sabbath and never worked on Saturdays.”
In context“As a lifelong observer of traditional customs, she insisted that the ceremony be performed exactly as it had been for generations.”
Synonymsadherentfollower
Usage observer from knowing
“This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.”
From observe + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.