supervise
Americanverb (used with object)
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supervises,
present (3rd person singular)
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supervised,
past participle, past
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supervising
present participle
verb
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to direct or oversee the performance or operation of
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to watch over so as to maintain order, etc
Usage
What does supervise mean? Supervise means to oversee, watch over, and provide direction for someone or something. You can supervise a project or process as it’s happening, but most of the time the word refers to supervising people, especially parents supervising their children or a manager or supervisor supervising their employees. The noun form of supervise is supervision. Someone being supervised is said to be under supervision. When it’s used in the context of adults watching children, the word often appears in the phrases parental supervision and adult supervision. Children or other people who can’t be left alone are said to need constant supervision. When they are left alone, they’re said to be unsupervised. The adjective form supervisory describes things that involve supervision, such as in the phrases supervisory role and supervisory capacity. Example: The key to supervising your employees effectively is giving them enough space to do their jobs, instead of constantly standing over their shoulders.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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supervisionnoun
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presuperviseverb (used with object)
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nonsupervisingadjective
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quasi-supervisedadjective
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unsupervisedadjective
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well-supervisedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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supervisesimple
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supervisessimple
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have supervisedperfect
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has supervisedperfect
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am supervisingprogressive
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are supervisingprogressive
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is supervisingprogressive
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have been supervisingperfect progressive
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has been supervisingperfect progressive
Past
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supervisedsimple
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had supervisedperfect
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was supervisingprogressive
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were supervisingprogressive
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had been supervisingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of supervise
First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin supervīsus “overseen,” past participle of supervidēre “to oversee,” from super- super- + vidēre “to see”; see also wit 2
Explanation
If your mother asks you to supervise your little brother and his friends, it means she'd like you to keep an eye on them. The verb supervise has origins in the Latin word supervidere, from super-, meaning “over” and videre, meaning “to see.” When you supervise something, it means you oversee the project, managing the people working on it, perhaps by figuring out what needs to be done, assigning the work, and making sure it gets done properly. You serve as the boss when you supervise; other people are the workers.
Vocabulary lists containing supervise
Power Prefix: super-
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Common Senses: Vid, Vis ("See")
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A Résumé of Active Words
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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.
See Examples For:
Ramos said one current union battle is to make self-serve checkout lines manageable for the workers who must supervise them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
Managing the risk is possible, Lahav said, but the more capable these systems get, the harder they are to supervise.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
It told the Mumbai police commissioner to supervise the investigation and demanded a status report.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Students either catalog recovered artifacts, most of which are ceramics, or "broken pots," as Anderson described them, or supervise excavation trenches.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026
With only a few adults to supervise us, we had to create our own ways of living from day to day.
From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau
His company, Film Leader Co., supervises film restorations and runs technical operations for a smattering of cinema houses across the country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The key element is making sure that a physician supervises your visits and is available in person when needed by you or the associate.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026
He also supervises the Guardian Council, which has the power to vet electoral candidates and veto parliamentary legislation.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026
Panama’s Port Authority, which supervises the terminals, said on Friday that it has implemented a transition plan to ensure the continuity of operations at the two ports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
The woman I am sitting with—the girl who is only a few years older than I am—is a different person than the woman who supervises me every day.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
She supervised the prosecution of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was convicted of prostitution offenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
To investigate, the team tested whether combining a low-calorie diet with supervised exercise could achieve remission after 24 weeks, compared with standard medical care.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
He trained as an artillery specialist in World War I and in World War II, he supervised the creation of patriotic films, including the “Why We Fight” series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
The number of people leaving prison, supervised by Welsh probation services, who were recorded as rough sleeping on the day of their release rose by 24% in 2025-26.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
She supervised while the last of the food was transferred from the iron kettles into great china basins, which the cook and the boy carried from the kitchen to some other part of the house.
From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson
It’s that a woman who has paid to delegate a household task may find herself unexpectedly responsible for supervising its completion.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
On the day we visited, Olena was busy ferrying supplies to the house and supervising the installation of a new door.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
A two-time Oscar-winning supervising sound editor, Baker Landers is vice president of California Post Alliance, the group sponsoring the bill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Meta also uses various signals to determine whether the person supervising a teen account—and thereby able to turn off key restrictions, such as the time limits—is actually the teen’s parent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
There was the usual chitchat with the supervising worker, a woman I had not seen before, although this time it had an edgy tone.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
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