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

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

The error was a simple oversight.

Synonyms of oversight

• management
• supervision
• control
• operation
• administration
• handling
• stewardship
• government
• direction
• governance

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

Last year, Haiti's government created a new task force that has operated outside the oversight of Haiti's National Police and employed the use of explosive drones. —Arkansas Online, 11 Mar. 2026

Insurance providers and safety regulations may require reasonable oversight during this time. —Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026

There are many problems with the bill that assumes that homeschool families need state oversight. —Nicholas Tampio, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026

But the civil rights office was among the oversight offices that experienced hundreds of staff cuts over the past year. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for oversight

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids 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