surveillance

noun

sur·​veil·​lance sər-ˈvā-lən(t)s 

also

-ˈvāl-yən(t)s 

or

-ˈvā-ən(t)s 

: close watch kept over someone or something (as by a detective)

also : supervision see also immune surveillance

Synonyms of surveillance

• stewardship
• supervision
• oversight
• management
• control
• policing
• regulation

Examples of surveillance in a Sentence

government surveillance of suspected terrorists

The bank robbery was recorded by surveillance video cameras.

Recent Examples on the Web

The surveillance video shows a white van slamming into a parked car on the side of 11th Street, which caused a chain-reaction crash. —Dan Snyder, CBS News, 2 June 2026

Another man, identified as 26-year-old Brandon Escalante Sandoval of Mexico, was seen riding around on a bicycle conducting surveillance, prosecutors said. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026

The surveillance footage also caught Baker fleeing from the initial property onto an adjacent property, police said. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 June 2026

Institutions still need clearinghouses, custodians, reporting systems, market surveillance, and legal accountability. —Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from surveiller to watch over, from sur- + veiller to watch, from Old French veillier, from Latin vigilare, from vigil watchful — more at vigil

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing surveillance

• counter-surveillance
• electronic surveillance
• immune surveillance
• immunological surveillance
• keep under surveillance

Kids Definition

surveillance

noun

sur·​veil·​lance sər-ˈvā-lən(t)s 

also -ˈvāl-yən(t)s

or -ˈvā-ən(t)s

: close watch

under surveillance

Medical Definition

surveillance

noun

sur·​veil·​lance

sər-ˈvā-lən(t)s also -ˈvāl-yən(t)s or -ˈvā-ən(t)s

: close and continuous observation or testing

serological surveillance

see immune surveillance