Keep an eye out for me vs Monitor

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Keep an eye out for me

Top 3,000 (common)

Monitor

Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Most common: Monitor
 Keep an eye out for meMonitor
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //kiːp ən aɪ aʊt fɔː miː//🇺🇸 //kip ən aɪ aʊt fɔr mi//🇬🇧 /["/ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmɑːnɪtər/"]/
MeaningWatch carefully for someone or something.A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer.
ExampleKeep an eye out for me when you arrive at the party.The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 3,000 (common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level-B2
Part of speechnoun
Collocationskeep an eye out for someone, keep an eye out for something, always keep an eye out, ask someone to keep an eye out, keep an eye out in the areacolour/​color, digital, CCTV, on a/​the monitor, baby, foetal/​fetal, heart, detect something, display something, show something, hooked up to a monitor, UN, ceasefire, election, UN, ceasefire, election
Antonyms-ignore, neglect
Common mistakesUsing 'look out for' instead of 'keep an eye out for'., Confusing the phrase with 'keep an eye on', which means to supervise., Forgetting the preposition 'for' when constructing the phrase.Confused with 'minotor', a common misspelling., Using 'monitor' as a verb without an object, e.g., 'I will monitor' instead of 'I will monitor the situation.'
Usage notesUse when asking someone to watch for your arrival. It's informal and friendly. Avoid in very formal situations.Use 'monitor' when referring to computer screens or when talking about observing something continuously. More formal contexts may use it to describe supervision or tracking.

See it in real clips

Keep an eye out for me
Monitor

Frequently asked questions: Keep an eye out for me vs Monitor

What's the difference between Keep an eye out for me and Monitor?

Keep an eye out for me: Watch carefully for someone or something. Monitor: A screen used to see pictures or text from a computer.

Which is more common: Keep an eye out for me and Monitor?

Monitor is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Keep an eye out for me: Keep an eye out for me when you arrive at the party. Monitor: The teacher will monitor the students' progress throughout the semester.

Can I use Keep an eye out for me and Monitor interchangeably?

Not always. Keep an eye out for me and Monitor are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

Related comparisons