surveil

verb

sur·​veil sər-ˈvāl How to pronounce surveil (audio)
surveilled; surveilling
Synonyms of surveilnext

transitive verb

: to subject to surveillance

Examples of surveil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
More than 1,000 pages of unpublished reports from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and fusion centers obtained by WIRED show a national shift taking place to surveil this new and worryingly broad category of people and activities deemed an emerging threat. Daniel Boguslaw, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026 James Barnacle, head of New York's FBI office, said in a release that Loadholt was tasked by the government of Iran to surveil Alinejad and eventually assassinate her, but the FBI arrested him first. ABC News, 27 May 2026 The real question is whether a warrant is needed to surveil Americans. Editorial Board, Washington Post, 4 May 2026 Its parent company, call center giant Teleperformance, was accused of trying to surveil remote workers and subsequently reached an agreement with a labor union federation over its surveillance practices. Huo Jingnan, NPR, 3 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for surveil

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from surveillance

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surveil was in 1884

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surveil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surveil. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

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