oversee

verb

over·​see ˌō-vər-ˈsē How to pronounce oversee (audio)
oversaw ˌō-vər-ˈsȯ How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseen ˌō-vər-ˈsēn How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseeing

transitive verb

1
: survey, watch
From his hilltop home he can oversee the river below.
2
a
: inspect, examine
oversees all new machinery
b
: to watch over and direct (an undertaking, a group of workers, etc.) in order to ensure a satisfactory outcome or performance : supervise
was hired to oversee the design and construction of the new library
oversaw 20 employees

Examples of oversee in a Sentence

He was hired to oversee design and construction of the new facility. will oversee the new manufacturing division
Recent Examples on the Web The New York City Department of Education, which oversees the largest school district in the nation, also has been under recent scrutiny after several protests broke out in city schools. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 30 Nov. 2023 The firm oversees more than $2 billion worth of Disney shares held by former Marvel Entertainment chairman Ike Perlmutter, who has been vocal critic of Disney CEO Bob Iger and was dismissed from the company in March. Todd Spangler, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023 Meredith Wieck and Erin Jones-Wesley will oversee The Long Walk for Lionsgate. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Nov. 2023 Vrablic ultimately oversaw a relationship with the Trumps that led to three major loans at the heart of a sweeping fraud case against Trump, his two adult sons and their company. Graham Kates, CBS News, 29 Nov. 2023 Every stage of the creation process is overseen in this one location, from the assembling of a prototype to the final quality control. Nancy Olson, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023 Angels oversee the shepherds on their journey to protect them from the devil’s influence and the seven deadly sins. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2023 Walls work just fine when they are overseen by an alert garrison. Meg Kelly, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 Debbie Allen will oversee creative direction of the sequence. Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oversee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oversee was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near oversee

Cite this Entry

“Oversee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oversee. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

oversee

verb
over·​see ˌō-vər-ˈsē How to pronounce oversee (audio)
oversaw -ˈsȯ How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseen -ˈsēn How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseeing
1
: to look down upon : survey
2
a
: to look over : examine

More from Merriam-Webster on oversee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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