B2verb1K

Observe

UK /["/əbˈzɜːv/","/əbˈzɜːvz/","/əbˈzɜːvd/","/əbˈzɜːvɪŋ/"]/US /["/əbˈzɜːrv/","/əbˈzɜːrvz/","/əbˈzɜːrvd/","/əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ/"]/

Definition

to see or notice somebody/something

In simple words: to watch something carefully

Examples

  • Please observe the changes in the experiment carefully.
  • As a wildlife photographer, I love to observe animals in their natural habitat.
  • If you observe the stars long enough, you might see a shooting star.
  • During the meeting, he took a moment to observe the reactions of his colleagues.
  • It's important to observe safety protocols when working with hazardous materials.

Usage notes

Use 'observe' when you are watching something closely or carefully. It is a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it may not be suitable for casual conversations where simpler words like 'watch' may work better.

Grammar pattern

observe + object

Memory hint

Think of 'observe' as 'eye-s observe'. Imagine putting your eyes on something closely.

Collocations

  • carefully
  • closely
  • precisely
  • be able to
  • be possible to
  • be difficult to
  • among
  • for
  • from
  • be commonly observed
  • be frequently observed
  • be widely observed
  • carefully
  • closely
  • precisely
  • be able to
  • be possible to
  • be difficult to
  • among
  • for
  • from
  • be commonly observed
  • be frequently observed
  • be widely observed
  • astutely
  • correctly
  • keenly
  • to
  • correctly
  • faithfully
  • scrupulously
  • fail to
  • failure to observe something

Synonyms

  • monitor
  • comment

Antonyms

  • ignore
  • neglect
  • overlook

Common mistakes

  • Confuse with 'abserve' which is not a word.
  • Use 'observed' incorrectly with non-actions, like 'observed the chair'.
  • Forget the preposition when used with 'something' as in 'observe at the sky' instead of 'observe the sky'.