oversee

[oh-ver-see]

verb (used with object)

oversaw, overseen, overseeing. 

1. to direct (work or workers); supervise; manage.

   He was hired to oversee the construction crews.

2. to see or observe secretly or unintentionally.

   We happened to oversee the burglar leaving the premises. He was overseen stealing the letters.

3. to survey or watch, as from a higher position.

4. to look over; examine; inspect.

oversee

/ ˌəʊvəˈsiː /

verb

1. to watch over and direct; supervise

2. to watch secretly or accidentally

Word History and Origins

Origin of oversee¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English overseen, Old English ofersēon; equivalent to over- + see ¹

Example Sentences

Their return, which was overseen by masked Hamas gunmen in Gaza City, took the number of dead hostages returned since Monday to nine out of 28.

Read more on BBC

Considered one of the most influential figures in the Iranian-backed group, he oversaw coordination between Yemen’s land, naval and missile units, directing key campaigns against the U.S.-led coalition and Israeli targets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She’s helped oversee roughly 1,300 medical procedures on the show — “They will write all this stuff and I would have to figure out how to make it come alive onscreen,” she says.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Unified oversees 235 charters, more than any school system in the country, and many of these started when school boards had little authority to reject them.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Last November, Horvath went public with a proposal to shrink the duties of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which is overseen by city and county political appointees.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• command 
• manage 
• supervise 
• survey 
• watch