oversight

noun over·sight \ ˈō-vər-ˌsīt \

Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

Definition of oversight

1 a : watchful and responsible care

you to whom oversight of the University is entrusted
—N. M. Pusey

b : regulatory supervision

congressional oversight

The new manager was given oversight of the project.

2 : an inadvertent omission or error

whether by oversight or intention
—G. B. Shaw

The error was a simple oversight.

See oversight defined for English-language learners

See oversight defined for kids

Examples of oversight in a Sentence

The fact that you didn't get an invitation is surely just an oversight.
The error was a simple oversight.
The new manager was given oversight of the project.

Recent Examples of oversight from the Web

He is poised to campaign heavily on his careful oversight of state agencies, among other issues.

— joshua miller, BostonGlobe.com, "Mass. RMV mistakenly tells thousands their licenses are being suspended," 19 Apr. 2018
Walking around campus, everyone knows his name and talks about him and his oversight of the maintenance department with awe and amazement.

— Houston Chronicle, "Treemont maintenance director Don Ibanez excels for 34-plus years," 16 Apr. 2018
Similar concerns raised by a homeowner in the HOA prompted an Olathe lawmaker to propose legislation to make homes associations more accountable by putting their oversight under the Kansas Attorney General.

— judy l. thomas, kansascity, "Olathe HOA's 'significant shortfall of money' could end up costing homeowners | The Kansas City Star," 13 Apr. 2018
The Federal Trade Commission will expand its oversight of Uber following the disclosure of its improper withholding of a 2016 security breach that exposed sensitive data for more than 25 million users.

— dan goodin, Ars Technica, "FTC tightens reins around Uber following 2016 breach," 12 Apr. 2018
Clark’s death has sparked weeks of protests across the country, and California’s Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, has vowed to provide independent oversight of the investigation into the shooting.

— britni danielle, Essence.com, "Man Whose 911 Call Led To Stephon Clark’s Fatal Shooting Now Regrets Calling Police," 10 Apr. 2018
As for Chinese investment in America, the CFIUS committee was already toughening its oversight.

— The Economist, "America’s trade strategy has many risks and few upsides," 28 Mar. 2018
King County officials are increasing their oversight of 4Culture, an agency that distributes millions of dollars annually to nonprofit arts-and-culture organizations countywide.

— jessica lee, The Seattle Times, "Metropolitan King County Council has voted to give itself new oversight of 4Culture. Here’s what we know," 19 Mar. 2018
Raymond Gadke assisted several generations of researchers and students in his oversight of University of Chicago Library’s microforms department and later of its periodical collections and all its reading room collections.

— bob goldsborough, chicagotribune.com, "Ray Gadke, oversaw microforms and periodicals at University of Chicago library, dies," 18 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oversight.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of oversight

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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oversight Synonyms

Synonyms

blunder, bobble, boo-boo, brick, clinker, error, fault, flub, fluff, fumble, gaff, gaffe, goof, inaccuracy, lapse, miscue, misstep, mistake, screwup, slip, slipup, stumble, trip;

Near Antonyms

accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness;

inerrancy, infallibility, perfection;

foul-up, snafu;

misapprehension, miscalculation, miscomprehension, misconception, misconstruction, miscue, misdescription, misimpression, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misreading, misstatement, misunderstanding;

OVERSIGHT Defined for English Language Learners

oversight

noun

Definition of oversight for English Language Learners

: a mistake made because someone forgets or fails to notice something
: the act or job of directing work that is being done

OVERSIGHT Defined for Kids

oversight

noun over·sight \ ˈō-vər-ˌsīt \

Definition of oversight for Students

1 : the act or duty of overseeing : watchful care He was assigned oversight of the project.

2 : an error or something forgotten through carelessness or haste It was surely an oversight that you weren't invited.

Headscratcher for oversight

What do “watchful care” and “careless error” have in common? Though they are opposites they are both meanings of oversight.

Learn More about oversight

See words that rhyme with oversight Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oversight Spanish Central: Translation of oversight Nglish: Translation of oversight for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oversight for Arabic speakers

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oversight

Definition of oversight

Examples of oversight in a Sentence

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First Known Use of oversight

oversight Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

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OVERSIGHT Defined for English Language Learners

oversight

Definition of oversight for English Language Learners

OVERSIGHT Defined for Kids

oversight

Definition of oversight for Students

Headscratcher for oversight

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