# stopwatch

/ˈstɑpˌwɑtʃ/ (US) · /stˈɒpwɒtʃ/ (UK) · CEFR A2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stopwatch
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

a small clock you use to measure exactly how long something takes, down to the second.

For teachers: a handheld timepiece designed to measure elapsed time precisely, typically with start, stop, and reset functions.

## Examples

- She uses a stopwatch to time her morning run.
- The coach clicks his stopwatch as the swimmers dive in to record each lap time.
- He studied the stopwatch with quiet focus, aware that a fraction of a second would decide between qualification and elimination after months of training.

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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.