unsupervised
Britishadjective
Explanation
When kids play in the backyard without an adult watching over them, they are playing unsupervised, meaning they are not being directly monitored by anyone. To be unsupervised means to do something without any oversight or supervision. For example, if students are left in a classroom without a teacher present, they are unsupervised. This can apply to various situations, from children playing to employees working without a manager's presence. While being unsupervised can offer freedom and independence, it also requires a level of responsibility and trust to ensure everything goes smoothly.
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.
Tesla further expanded its unsupervised operation area in Austin and launched unsupervised rides in Dallas and Houston in April, the company says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
During the conference call, Musk said he hopes to have unsupervised FSD operating "in a dozen or so states by the end of this year."
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
And while Tesla is advertising its operations in Dallas and Houston as unsupervised, its service appears limited: Just four vehicles have been tracked across the cities, according to a crowd-sourced effort.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Bravery, now 24, who is autistic, was in supported accommodation at the time of the attack but had been allowed out unsupervised.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Out of this has come a rich and curious, if unsupervised and unstructured, education.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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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.