Observing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective noun /əb-ˈzərv/ ob·serve

Meaning & Definition of Observing

Observing (verb)

  1. to conform one's action or practice to (something, such as a law, rite, or condition), comply with
  2. to inspect or take note of as an augury, omen, or presage
  3. to celebrate or solemnize (something, such as a ceremony or festival) in a customary or accepted way

Observing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in accompanying, participating

    similar: accompanying, participating, attending, in, present, available, abounding, latent, breathing, existent, existing, extant, live
    opposite: absent, away, missing, out, departed, gone, retired, nonexistent, AWOL, truant, dead, deceased, defunct, demised, lost, vanished, belated, delayed, delinquent, late, overdue, tardy

  2. as in aware, vigilant

    similar: alert, attentive, aware, observant, vigilant, watchful, sighted, clear-sighted, eagle-eyed, hawkeyed, lynx-eyed, sharp-eyed, sharp-sighted
    opposite: blind, eyeless, sightless, stone-blind, visionless, astigmatic, myopic, nearsighted, shortsighted, purblind

Observing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in observation, monitoring

    similar: monitoring, observance, observation, policing, care, charge, guidance, headship, oversight, regulation, stewardship, superintendence, superintendency, supervision, surveillance, administration, control, direction, generalship, hand(s), management, running, leadership, piloting, shepherding, steering, government, reign, rule, aegis, auspices, guardianship, protection, trusteeship, tutelage

Observing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to act according to the commands of

    "you must observe all the rules of this school, not simply the ones that meet with your personal approval"

    similar: adhering (to), complying (with), conforming (to), following, goose-stepping (to), minding, obeying, abiding by, falling in with, keeping to
    related: deferring (to), submitting (to), surrendering (to), yielding (to), acceding (to), acquiescing (to), agreeing (to), assenting (to), attending, hearing, heeding, listening (to), marking, noticing, noting, regarding, taking, watching
    opposite: defying, disobeying, rebelling (against)
    near: disobliging, challenging, daring, refusing, renouncing, repudiating, directing, leading, brushing (off), disregarding, ignoring, overlooking, overpassing, passing over, tuning out, winking (at), dismissing, pooh-poohing, shrugging off, breaching, breaking, infringing, transgressing, violating, deriding, flouting, mocking, scoffing (at), scorning, mutinying (against), revolting (against), bucking, combating, contesting, disputing, fighting, opposing, resisting, withstanding

  2. to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony

    "a time when few people in New England observed Christmas"

    similar: celebrating, commemorating, keeping
    related: blessing, consecrating, sanctifying, solemnizing, feting, honoring, lauding, praising, memorializing, remembering
    opposite: breaking, transgressing, violating
    near: blowing off, disregarding, forgetting, ignoring, neglecting, overlooking

  3. to keep one's eyes on

    "happily spent many hours observing the birds at the backyard feeder"

    similar: eyeing, following, watching, having one's eye on
    related: beholding, looking, perceiving, regarding, seeing, viewing, gaping, gawking, gazing, glaring, goggling, looking on, peering, rubbernecking, staring, guarding, waking, warding, bird-dogging, monitoring, studying, spying, espying, glancing, glimpsing, peeking, peeping
    near: blinking, winking

  4. to make a statement of one's opinion

    "I think you might be mistaken, he observed"

    similar: allowing, commenting, editorializing, noting, opining, reflecting, remarking, weighing in
    related: commentating, articulating, expressing, saying, speaking, stating, talking, telling, uttering, verbalizing, vocalizing, conjecturing, daresaying, guessing, speculating, supposing, surmising

  5. to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes

    "she observed that the weather had changed again"

    similar: beholding, catching, descrying, discerning, distinguishing, espying, eyeing, looking (at), noticing, noting, perceiving, regarding, remarking, seeing, sighting, spotting, spying, viewing, witnessing, getting a load of (slang), laying eyes on, setting eyes on
    related: identifying, making out, picking out, picking up, attending (to), considering, heeding, marking, minding, studying, watching, examining, inspecting, scanning, scrutinizing, surveying, glancing (at), glimpsing, peering (at)
    near: disregarding, ignoring, neglecting, overpassing, passing over, missing, overlooking

  6. to take notice of and be guided by

    "generally observes the suggestions of the experts regarding baby care"

    similar: following, heeding, listening (to), minding, noting, regarding, watching
    related: considering, contemplating, mulling, pondering, weighing, complying (with), conforming (to), keeping, obeying, respecting, attending (to), harking (to), hearing, hearkening (to), marking, noticing, seeing
    opposite: disregarding, ignoring, tuning out
    near: brushing (aside or off), discounting, dismissing, glossing (over), glozing (over), neglecting, passing over, pooh-poohing, scorning, shrugging off, defying, flouting, slighting, snubbing

Related Entry: Observe (verb)

Observe is a different word from Observing. The synonyms below are for observe, not for observing.

  1. to act according to the commands of

    "you must observe all the rules of this school, not simply the ones that meet with your personal approval"

    similar: adhere (to), comply (with), conform (to), follow, goose-step (to), mind, obey, abide by, fall in with, keep to
    related: defer (to), submit (to), surrender (to), yield (to), accede (to), acquiesce (to), agree (to), assent (to), attend, hear, heed, listen (to), mark, note, notice, regard, take, watch
    opposite: defy, disobey, rebel (against)
    near: disoblige, challenge, dare, refuse, renounce, repudiate, direct, lead, brush (off), disregard, ignore, overlook, overpass, pass over, tune out, wink (at), dismiss, pooh-pooh, shrug off, breach, break, infringe, transgress, violate, deride, flout, mock, scoff (at), scorn, mutiny (against), revolt (against), buck, combat, contest, dispute, fight, oppose, resist, withstand

  2. to mark with an appropriate practice, rite, or ceremony

    "a time when few people in New England observed Christmas"

    similar: celebrate, commemorate, keep
    related: bless, consecrate, sanctify, solemnize, fete, honor, laud, praise, memorialize, remember
    opposite: break, transgress, violate
    near: blow off, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook

  3. to keep one's eyes on

    "happily spent many hours observing the birds at the backyard feeder"

    similar: eye, follow, watch, have one's eye on
    related: behold, look, perceive, regard, see, view, gape, gawk, gaze, glare, goggle, look on, peer, rubberneck, stare, guard, wake, ward, bird-dog, monitor, study, spy, espy, glance, glimpse, peek, peep
    near: blink, wink

  4. to make a statement of one's opinion

    "I think you might be mistaken, he observed"

    similar: allow, comment, editorialize, note, opine, reflect, remark, weigh in
    related: commentate, articulate, express, say, speak, state, talk, tell, utter, verbalize, vocalize, conjecture, daresay, guess, speculate, suppose, surmise

  5. to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes

    "she observed that the weather had changed again"

    similar: behold, catch, descry, discern, distinguish, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, perceive, regard, remark, see, sight, spot, spy, view, witness, get a load of (slang), lay eyes on, set eyes on
    related: identify, make out, pick out, pick up, attend (to), consider, heed, mark, mind, study, watch, examine, inspect, scan, scrutinize, survey, glance (at), glimpse, peer (at)
    near: disregard, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over, miss, overlook

  6. to take notice of and be guided by

    "generally observes the suggestions of the experts regarding baby care"

    similar: follow, heed, listen (to), mind, note, regard, watch
    related: consider, contemplate, mull, ponder, weigh, comply (with), conform (to), keep, obey, respect, attend (to), hark (to), hear, hearken (to), mark, notice, see
    opposite: disregard, ignore, tune out
    near: brush (aside or off), discount, dismiss, gloss (over), gloze (over), neglect, pass over, pooh-pooh, scorn, shrug off, defy, flout, slight, snub

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Observing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Observing:

Slang: getting a load of
accompanying, participating, attending, in, present, available, abounding, latent, breathing, existent, existing, extant, live, alert, attentive, aware, observant, vigilant, watchful, sighted, clear-sighted, eagle-eyed, hawkeyed, lynx-eyed, sharp-eyed, sharp-sighted, monitoring, observance, observation, policing, care, charge, guidance, headship, oversight, regulation, stewardship, superintendence, superintendency, supervision

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Observing

Words with the opposite meaning of Observing:

absent, away, missing, out, departed, gone, retired, nonexistent, AWOL, truant, dead, deceased, defunct, demised, lost, vanished, belated, delayed, delinquent, late, overdue, tardy, blind, eyeless, sightless, stone-blind, visionless, astigmatic, myopic, nearsighted

Related Words for Observing

deferring (to), submitting (to), surrendering (to), yielding (to), acceding (to), acquiescing (to), agreeing (to), assenting (to), hearing, marking, taking, blessing, consecrating, sanctifying, solemnizing, feting, honoring, lauding, praising, memorializing, remembering, looking, gaping, gawking, gazing, glaring, goggling, looking on, peering, rubbernecking

Near Antonyms of Observing

disobliging, challenging, daring, refusing, renouncing, repudiating, directing, leading, brushing (off), overlooking, overpassing, passing over, winking (at), dismissing, pooh-poohing, shrugging off, breaching, infringing, deriding, flouting, mocking, scoffing (at), scorning, mutinying (against), revolting (against), bucking, combating, contesting, disputing, fighting

Word Forms of Observing

Inflections: observed

Derived words: observingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Observing

Middle English observen "to follow, conform to, practice, celebrate," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French observer "to comply with, uphold" (also continental Old French), borrowed from Latin observāre "to give attention to, watch carefully, abide by, adhere to, celebrate," from ob- "toward, facing, against" + servāre "to watch over, guard, keep, observe (a law, custom)" ob-, conserve

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Observing

What does "Observing" mean?

"Observing" means to conform one's action or practice to (something, such as a law, rite, or condition), comply with. As an a verb, an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: to conform one's action or practice to (something, such as a law, rite, or condition), comply with. It has 9 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Observing"?

Other words for "Observing" include accompanying, participating, attending, in, present, available, abounding and latent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Observing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Observing"?

There are 183 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Observing". Common alternatives include accompanying, participating, attending, in, present, available, abounding, latent, breathing and existent.

What is the opposite of "Observing"?

Antonyms of "Observing" include absent, away, missing, out, departed, gone, retired and nonexistent. Near antonyms include disobliging, challenging, daring and refusing.

How do you use "Observing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Observing" in a sentence: "you must observe all the rules of this school, not simply the ones that meet with your personal approval"; "a time when few people in New England observed Christmas"; "happily spent many hours observing the birds at the backyard feeder".

Is "Observing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Observing" can be used as a verb, an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Observing"?

"Observing" is pronounced /əb-ˈzərv/ and divided into syllables as ob·serve.

What is the origin of the word "Observing"?

"Observing" comes from Middle English observen "to follow, conform to, practice, celebrate," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French observer "to comply with, uphold" (also continental Old French), borrowed from Latin observāre "to give attention to, watch carefully, abide by, adhere to, celebrate," from ob- "toward, facing, against" + servāre "to watch over, guard, keep, observe (a law, custom)" ob-, conserve. First known use: 14th centuryt.