stopwatch

noun

stop·​watch ˈstäp-ˌwäch How to pronounce stopwatch (audio)
Synonyms of stopwatchnext
: a watch with a hand or a digital display that can be started and stopped at will for exact timing (as of a race)

Examples of stopwatch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In many places, no one is standing by with a stopwatch to enforce the rule. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 26 June 2026 The question is whether the rest of Pride’s skills catch up to the stopwatch. — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026 Simply drive onto one of the game’s fun little grassroots-style circuits, and the stopwatch starts. — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 14 May 2026 At its core the app is really just a stopwatch, though the option to actually block other apps is useful. — David Nield, Wired News, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stopwatch

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stopwatch was in 1737

Rhymes for stopwatch

See All Rhymes for stopwatch

Browse Nearby Words

stop volley
stopwatch
stopwater
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stopwatch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stopwatch. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

stopwatch

noun
stop·​watch ˈstäp-ˌwäch How to pronounce stopwatch (audio)
: a watch having a hand or a digital display that can be started and stopped for exact timing (as of a race)

More from Merriam-Webster on stopwatch

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stopwatch

Nglish: Translation of stopwatch for Spanish Speakers

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