# overwatch

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overwatch
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. military protection

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a tactic where one group of soldiers or vehicles watches and protects another group while they move.

For teachers: the supervision of one unit or vehicle by another while the supervised unit is firing or moving; a tactical technique used to provide covering fire.

- The first squad provided overwatch from the hill while the second squad moved across the field.
- The commander established a position of overwatch on the ridge, ensuring that any enemy movement would be suppressed while the infantry advanced through the valley.

Usage: Commonly used in both real-world military contexts and tactical video games.

### 2. to watch over

verb · CEFR B2

to watch or look after something carefully.

For teachers: to supervise or watch over a person, place, or situation.

- The security team was hired to overwatch the building during the festival.
- The senior engineers were tasked to overwatch the entire migration process to ensure no data was lost during the server transition.

### 3. to tire out

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to become very tired from staying awake too long to watch something.

For teachers: to overcome or exhaust someone through a long lack of sleep or excessive watching.

- The guard was overwatched after three nights of constant duty without sleep.
- By the fourth night of the siege, the sentries were completely overwatched and struggled to remain alert at their posts.

## Examples

- The team provided overwatch while the scouts moved into the building.
- The sniper team moved to the ridge to provide overwatch for the infantry platoon advancing through the valley below.
- Effective overwatch requires constant communication between the stationary element and the maneuvering force to ensure that any emerging threats are suppressed before they can engage the advancing troops.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.