surveil

[ser-veyl]

verb (used with object)

surveilled, surveilling 

1. to place under surveillance.

surveil

/ sɜːˈveɪl /

verb

1. to observe closely the activities of (a person or group)

Word History and Origins

Origin of surveil¹

First recorded in 1965–70; back formation from surveillance

Word History and Origins

Origin of surveil¹

C20: back formation from _surveillance

Example Sentences

Surrounding beaches would also be closed for 24 hours while drones surveilled the area, it said.

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In November, Kurdish-led and U.S. forces arrested a senior Islamic State leader at Al Hol whom they had been surveilling for days.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On some nights the Salazar cartel sent drones to surveil the base, and cartel members recently scrawled their acronym on a camp trailer.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At one demonstration, a Black Hawk helicopter circled overhead, reviving concerns that law enforcement was surveilling residents engaged in activities protected by the First Amendment.

Read more on Salon

All he saw was evidence that Xinjiang remains highly surveilled, with police checkpoints and security cameras a common sight, and foreigners required to stay in designated hotels.

Read more on BBC