watch out

verb

watched out; watching out; watches out

intransitive verb

: to be vigilant or alert : be on the lookout
you'd better watch out
watch out for the tree!

Examples of watch out in a Sentence

watch out for hazards in the road
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.
Tea tree oil, peppermint oil, menthol, and witch hazel are four natural ingredients to watch out for. — Kara McGrath, Allure, 22 Oct. 2026 The source of the breach remains unclear, but the company is warning affected users to watch out for phishing emails or messages that might pretend to come from Capcom. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026 Car drivers are not all that great about watching out for motorcyclists. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 Members, watch out in the afternoon for our full Club analysis on BNY's quarter in your texts and emails. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for watch out

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of watch out was in 1845

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Watch out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watch%20out. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

watch out

verb
: to be on the lookout
watch out for cars
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster