oversee

verb

over·​see ˌō-vər-ˈsē How to pronounce oversee (audio)
oversaw ˌō-vər-ˈsȯ How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseen ˌō-vər-ˈsēn How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseeing

transitive verb

1
: survey, watch
From his hilltop home he can oversee the river below.
2
a
: inspect, examine
oversees all new machinery
b
: to watch over and direct (an undertaking, a group of workers, etc.) in order to ensure a satisfactory outcome or performance : supervise
was hired to oversee the design and construction of the new library
oversaw 20 employees

Examples of oversee in a Sentence

He was hired to oversee design and construction of the new facility. will oversee the new manufacturing division
Recent Examples on the Web Clipper brings over 25 years of experience and will oversee the company's financial strategy and operations. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Mar. 2024 Rising nationalism under Modi has come alongside a similar phenomenon in China, where leader Xi Jinping has overseen an assertive foreign policy – though both sides have appeared to take steps to cool border tensions following the deadly 2020 clash. Simone McCarthy, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, Pita Loor will oversee Hyphenate’s communications, public relations and brand development as part of her new role leading strategic planning and execution. Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2024 Chang will oversee finance and operations of Hyphenate and its production labels. William Earl, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024 From the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, Mr. Huffman pointed to the company’s improved cadence of adding new features over the last year and improving the tools for moderators, the thousands of volunteer users who oversee the site’s subreddits. Lauren Hirsch, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Huard will oversee the quarterback competition between incumbent Miller Moss and redshirt sophomore transfer Jayden Maiava while Riley takes a step back to manage a program in transition with a new defense. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Kish will oversee a group of talented chefs from across the country — six of whom are James Beard Award nominees, including Dan. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024 Suleyman will report to Nadella and will oversee all of the company’s AI products and research including Copilot, Bing, and Edge. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oversee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oversee was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near oversee

Cite this Entry

“Oversee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oversee. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

oversee

verb
over·​see ˌō-vər-ˈsē How to pronounce oversee (audio)
oversaw -ˈsȯ How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseen -ˈsēn How to pronounce oversee (audio) ; overseeing
1
: to look down upon : survey
2
a
: to look over : examine

More from Merriam-Webster on oversee

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