oversee

verb

over·​see ˌō-vər-ˈsē 

oversaw ˌō-vər-ˈsȯ  ; overseen ˌō-vər-ˈsēn  ; overseeing

transitive verb

1

: survey, watch

From his hilltop home he can oversee the river below.

2

a

: inspect, examine

oversees all new machinery

b

: to watch over and direct (an undertaking, a group of workers, etc.) in order to ensure a satisfactory outcome or performance : supervise

was hired to oversee the design and construction of the new library

oversaw 20 employees

Synonyms

• administer
• administrate
• carry on
• conduct
• control
• direct
• govern
• guide
• handle
• keep
• manage
• operate
• overlook
• preside (over)
• regulate
• run
• steward
• superintend
• supervise
• tend

Examples of oversee in a Sentence

He was hired to oversee design and construction of the new facility.

will oversee the new manufacturing division

Recent Examples on the Web

He’s worked in newsrooms all across the country, including overseeing the USA TODAY sports department. —David Ammenheuser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Mar. 2025

Judge Boasberg -- who previously oversaw the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court -- pushed back on the idea that the information could not be disclosed to the court. —Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2025

But the government body responsible for overseeing contaminants in cookies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), doesn’t set limits for metals in foods. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Mar. 2025

The executive order also affects other U.S. government media outlets overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, including Voice of America. —Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for oversee

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

oversee

verb

over·​see ˌō-vər-ˈsē 

oversaw -ˈsȯ  ; overseen -ˈsēn  ; overseeing

1

: to look down upon : survey

2

a

: to look over : examine

b

: superintend, supervise