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
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.
Emily Warren, a state deputy transportation secretary, emailed the Tesla public-policy staffer and top officials at two other state agencies overseeing autonomous vehicles, citing concern over public misconceptions about Tesla’s Bay Area plans. Chris Kirkham, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025 Oracle would receive a copy of the algorithm and oversee the app’s security operations. Chris Megerian, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025 When Helling was an undergraduate student in the 1990s at UC San Diego — which oversees the aquarium as the outreach center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography — the facility was known as the Wayland Vaughan Aquarium-Museum. Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025 These two cities are already home to offices overseeing business in the Americas and the Middle East. Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oversee

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oversee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oversee. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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