supervisory
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does supervisory mean? Supervisory is used to describe things that involve supervision, which is the act of overseeing, watching over, and providing direction for someone or something. Supervisory is an adjective form of the verb supervise, and it’s especially used in the phrases supervisory role and supervisory capacity, both of which refer to positions that involve supervision (or positions for which supervision is a responsibility). The word supervise often refers to supervising a project or people, parents supervising their children, or a manager or supervisor supervising their employees. Supervisory is most often used in the context of supervisors in the workplace or government agencies that conduct oversight. Example: I’ve been asked to come on in a supervisory capacity to oversee the project.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of supervisory
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.
Supervisory stress tests rely heavily on discretion and are largely negotiated behind closed doors.
From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026
“With this in mind, the Supervisory Board agrees this is the right moment to start the succession process to secure strong leadership for the future.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026
Mr. Eiswert referred a request for comment to a trade group for principals, the Council of Administrative and Supervisory Employees, which did not return a call from a reporter.
From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2024
“Labor representation is part of our company’s culture; half of our glocal Supervisory Board members are labor representatives,” VW said in a statement.
From Washington Times • Dec. 19, 2023
Supervisory relay 4 is under the control of the hook switch at the called subscriber's station.
From Cyclopedia of Telephony and Telegraphy, Vol. 2 A General Reference Work on Telephony, etc. etc. by McMeen, Samuel
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.
