supervise
Americanverb (used with object)
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
- nonsupervising adjective
- presupervise verb (used with object)
- quasi-supervised adjective
- supervision noun
- unsupervised adjective
- well-supervised adjective
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”; wit 2
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.
French paratroopers, part of a multinational force, supervise the evacuation of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat among the crowd and journalists on Aug. 30, 1982, in Beirut.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
The remodeling company continues to operate, but pulls in much less revenue without Alberto to drum up business and supervise jobs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
JPMorgan’s plans around prediction markets could change if regulators offer greater clarity on how they plan to supervise prediction markets, particularly those where a security is involved, the people familiar with the matter said.
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
While robots may be able to take over menial tasks, humans will be needed to supervise and repair complex fleets.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026
Mom said we couldn’t light the oven until Julia’s mother came out to supervise us, so we put our clumped-together cake batter in the fridge and went to Julia’s room to watch television.
From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead
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.
