oversight
noun
over·sight
ˈō-vər-ˌsīt 
1
a
: watchful and responsible care
… you to whom oversight of the University is entrusted …—
N. M. Pusey
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 …—George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard ShawThe error was a simple oversight.
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 on the Web
State health departments will continue to conduct daily symptom monitoring, as well as 24/7 continuous oversight of each person, and provide guidance through the remainder of the 42-day monitoring period, which will end June 21.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
Hew believes social media allow his kids to spend time productively, as long as there is proper adult oversight.
—Eileen Ng, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Preserving the program’s long-term integrity will require states to strengthen oversight, enforce eligibility rules and treat improper payments as serious policy failures rather than a manageable cost of doing business.
—Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The crypto industry sees the bill as a good thing, offering predictable oversight and guardrails—as well as allowing crypto exchanges to offer interest-like payments on deposits.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for oversight
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Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
Hew believes social media allow his kids to spend time productively, as long as there is proper adult oversight.
—Eileen Ng, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Preserving the program’s long-term integrity will require states to strengthen oversight, enforce eligibility rules and treat improper payments as serious policy failures rather than a manageable cost of doing business.
—Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The crypto industry sees the bill as a good thing, offering predictable oversight and guardrails—as well as allowing crypto exchanges to offer interest-like payments on deposits.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for oversight
Cite this Entry
“Oversight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oversight. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oversight
noun
over·sight
-ˌsīt
1
: the act or duty of overseeing : supervision
have the oversight of a job
2
: an error or a leaving something out through carelessness or haste
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