supervise

verb

su·​per·​vise ˈsü-pər-ˌvīz 

supervised; supervising

transitive verb

: to be in charge of : superintend, oversee

supervise a large staff

supervised the ship's daily operations

Synonyms of supervise

• oversee
• handle
• manage

Examples of supervise in a Sentence

The builder supervised the construction of the house.

She supervises a staff of 30 workers.

Recent Examples on the Web

And for supervising sound editor Al Nelson, now Oscar-nominated for his work on the film, that meant getting up close and personal to the powerful cars whizzing around corners on the tracks. —Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026

Each exercise session was supervised and followed a clear structure, Muotri says. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 11 Feb. 2026

Caring for a betta can help kids learn responsibility, routine, and empathy when adults guide and supervise the process. —Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 10 Feb. 2026

These workers keep companies running smoothly, often supervising multiple teams, the report says. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin supervisus, past participle of supervidēre, from Latin super- + vidēre to see — more at wit

First Known Use

circa 1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supervise

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

supervise

verb

su·​per·​vise ˈsü-pər-ˌvīz 

supervised; supervising

: superintend, oversee

Etymology

from Latin supervisus, past participle of supervidēre "to oversee," from super- "over, above" and vidēre "to see" — related to vision