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

At Surfside, the different beach areas are cleaned daily and supervised by lifeguards. —Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026

The lawsuit accuses BrightPath of failing to properly supervise the children at the day care and its employees. —Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026

The lawsuit accuses the Sheriff’s Department of negligence, failing to conduct adequate safety checks and failing to appropriately supervise inmates. —City News Service, Oc Register, 24 Apr. 2026

Alvarez could face up to 20 years in prison, supervised release of at least five years to a lifetime, and a fine of up to $250,000. —Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 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