watchfulness
/'wɔtʃfulnis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. The state or quality of being alert, attentive, and vigilant, especially to danger or difficulty. It implies a careful, continuous observation of one's surroundings or a situation. 2. The process of paying close and continuous attention. It describes an active, sustained state of mental focus and readiness.
Usage
"Watchfulness" is a formal noun used to describe a state of careful observation. It is often associated with duty, security, caution, or care. It can be used in both physical contexts (e.g., guarding a place) and metaphorical contexts (e.g., monitoring one's health or a situation).
Examples
- The security guard's watchfulness prevented a break-in.
- Parents exercise constant watchfulness over their young children at the playground.
- The success of the mission depended on the team's watchfulness for any signs of enemy movement.
- Financial regulators maintain a watchfulness over market activities to prevent fraud.
Advanced Usage
- "Eternal watchfulness": A phrase emphasizing constant, unending vigilance.
- "With keen watchfulness": Describes paying attention with great sharpness and intensity.
Variants and Related Words
- Watchful (adjective): Being alert and vigilant.
- Watch (verb): To look at or observe attentively over a period of time.
Synonyms
- Vigilance: Often interchangeable, but can imply a more formal or official duty of watchfulness.
- Alertness: Emphasizes quickness to notice and respond.
- Attentiveness: Focuses on the quality of paying close attention.
- Circumspection: Suggests watchfulness arising from caution and a desire to avoid risk.
Antonyms
- Carelessness
- Inattention
- Negligence
- Unawareness
Noun
- vigilant attentiveness
- he keeps a weather eye open for trouble
- the process of paying close and continuous attention
- wakefulness, watchfulness, and bellicosity make a good hunter
- vigilance is especially susceptible to fatigue