oversight
Americannoun
-
an omission or error due to carelessness.
My bank statement is full of oversights.
-
unintentional failure to notice or consider; lack of proper attention.
Owing to my oversight, the letter was sent unsigned.
-
supervision; watchful care.
a person responsible for the oversight of the organization.
- Synonyms:
- surveillance, control, direction, management
noun
-
an omission or mistake, esp one made through failure to notice something
-
supervision
Etymology
Origin of oversight
Explanation
An oversight is a mistake you make when you're not paying full attention. Your failure to add the sugar to the cookies was an unfortunate oversight — you were so engrossed in texting that you forgot it. Oversights are not intentional mistakes. Usually they're just the result of inattention. If you make an oversight in your inspection of a nuclear power plant and it later goes into meltdown, you'll get fired. An inspector is supposed to pay attention. But if you forgot your cousin's birthday because you're busy taking care of Grandma, that's a forgivable oversight. Oversight is also the act of supervising something, like the construction of a dam, or a high school prom.
Vocabulary lists containing oversight
Two-Faced Words: Contronyms
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This Week in Words: January 27 - February 2, 2018
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100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We should require more judicial oversight of prosecutors and their use of subpoenas and the grand jury.
From Slate • May 1, 2026
Key issues include oversight, jail conditions, recruitment and boosting department morale.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
In doing so, they’ve reportedly issued more than 130 grand jury subpoenas demanding information and commanding witnesses to appear and testify with little to no judicial oversight.
From Slate • May 1, 2026
Koslow said Trump has surrounded himself with strong executive talent, worked diligently to increase the oversight of government programs and taken foreign policy action to advance national security.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
“You’re positive about a movie theater in the afterlife but not if you’ll have your glasses? Seems like an oversight in your heavenly blueprint.”
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
