supervision

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sion ˌsü-pər-ˈvi-zhən 

: the action, process, or occupation of supervising

especially : a critical watching and directing (as of activities or a course of action)

Synonyms

• oversight
• stewardship
• management
• control
• guidance
• superintendence
• leadership

Examples of supervision in a Sentence

Young children need constant supervision.

She's responsible for the supervision of a large staff.

Recent Examples on the Web

One interpretation is that if an AI maker has a generic generative AI that also happens to provide mental health advice, and if this is taking place without the supervision of a licensed professional, and this occurs in Illinois, the AI maker is seemingly in violation of this law. —Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

The story revolves around a group of workers, including Joe (Whitehouse), who are digging a hole under the supervision of their boss, Goose (Church), with shovels. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025

Lax supervision has long been a problem in the county jails that local sheriffs run. —Charlotte Observer, 4 Aug. 2025

Salas is a leadership in government fellow with the Open Society Foundations, former supervision director of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and former DCWP commissioner. —Harvey Epstein, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supervision

• cablevision
• circumcision
• imprecision
• indecision
• subdivision
• television
• abscission
• collision
• decision
• derision
• division
• elision

Kids Definition

supervision

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sion ˌsü-pər-ˈvizh-ən 

: the act of supervising

especially : a critical watching and directing (as of activities)