superintend

American  

[soo-per-in-tend, soo-prin-] / ˌsu pər ɪnˈtɛnd, ˌsu prɪn- /

verb (used with object)

1. to oversee and direct (work, processes, etc.).

2. to exercise supervision over (an institution, district, place, etc.).

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superintend British  

/ ˌsuːprɪn-, ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛnd /

verb

1. to undertake the direction or supervision (of); manage

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Other Word Forms

• superintendence noun

Etymology

Origin of superintend

From the Late Latin word superintendere, dating back to 1605–15. See super-, intend

Example Sentences

To superintend this one, President Macron appointed Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, former chief of staff of the French armed forces, who treated it as a problem of logistics and organization, a kind of architectural D-Day operation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

“District courts have no general equitable authority to superintend federal criminal investigations,” Justice Department lawyers wrote.

From Washington Times • Oct. 14, 2022

Wary of another reversal, Twitter has reportedly asked the Delaware Court of Chancery to superintend the closing.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2022

“Prodigy’s role in transmitting e-mail is akin to that of a telephone company, which one neither wants nor expects to superintend the content of its subscribers’ conversations,” Judge Albert Rosenblatt wrote.

From Slate • Feb. 20, 2020

It was no longer in Emma’s power to superintend his happiness or quicken his measures.

From "Emma" by Jane Austen