Oversee — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˌō-vər-ˈsē/ over·see

Meaning & Definition of Oversee

Oversee (verb)

  1. survey, watch
  2. inspect, examine
  3. to watch over and direct (an undertaking, a group of workers, etc.) in order to ensure a satisfactory outcome or performance, supervise

Oversee (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to look after and make decisions about

    "will oversee the new manufacturing division"

    similar: administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, overlook, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, watch over
    related: care (for), mind, watch, lead, pilot, steer, guard, protect, safeguard, micromanage, stage-manage, codirect, comanage

  2. to be in charge of

    "looking for someone to oversee the project from start to finish"

    similar: boss, captain, handle, head, overlook, quarterback, superintend, supervise, call the shots (of), call the tune (for), ride herd on, watch over
    related: administer, command, control, direct, guide, manage, order, run, shepherd, show, steer, monitor, preside (over), govern, reign, rule

  3. to take charge of especially on behalf of another

    "oversee the household until Dad gets home"

    similar: attend, care (for), mind, superintend, supervise, tend, watch, look after, see after, see to, take care of
    related: administrate, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, manage, operate, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, guard, patrol, protect, safeguard, shield, baby, babysit, chaperone, mother, shepherd
    near: abandon, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, pass over

  4. to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)

    "her job was to oversee each and every dish before it left the kitchen and was served to a customer"

    similar: audit, check (out), con, examine, inspect, overlook, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, view, go over
    related: notice, observe, watch, comb, peruse, pore (over), analyze, dissect, parse, delve (into), explore, investigate, plumb, probe, research, study, categorize, classify, pick over, reinspect, rereview, resurvey
    near: skim, glance (at or over), miss

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Oversee

The most common words with a similar meaning to Oversee:

administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, overlook, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, boss, captain, head, quarterback, attend, care (for), mind, watch, audit, check (out), con, examine, inspect, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, view, watch over, call the shots (of)

Related Words for Oversee

lead, pilot, steer, guard, protect, safeguard, micromanage, stage-manage, codirect, comanage, command, order, shepherd, show, monitor, reign, rule, patrol, shield, baby, babysit, chaperone, mother, notice, observe, comb, peruse, pore (over), analyze, dissect

Near Antonyms of Oversee

abandon, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, pass over, skim, glance (at or over), miss

Word Forms of Oversee

Inflections: oversaw, overseen, overseeing

Origin & Etymology of Oversee

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Oversee

Frequently Asked Questions about Oversee

What does "Oversee" mean?

"Oversee" means survey, watch. As a verb, it is defined as: survey, watch. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Oversee"?

Other words for "Oversee" include administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern and guide. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Oversee" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Oversee"?

There are 91 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Oversee". Common alternatives include administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle and keep.

How do you use "Oversee" in a sentence?

Examples of "Oversee" in a sentence: "will oversee the new manufacturing division"; "looking for someone to oversee the project from start to finish"; "oversee the household until Dad gets home".

Is "Oversee" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Oversee" is a verb.

Is "Oversee" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Oversee" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Oversee"?

"Oversee" is pronounced /ˌō-vər-ˈsē/ and divided into syllables as over·see.

What is the origin of the word "Oversee"?

First known use: before 12th century.