oversight
noun
over·sight
ˈō-vər-ˌsīt 
1
a
: watchful and responsible care
… you to whom oversight of the University is entrusted …—
N. M. Pusey
N. M. Pusey
b
: regulatory supervision
congressional oversight
The new manager was given oversight of the project.
2
: an inadvertent omission or error
… whether by oversight or intention …—George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard ShawThe error was a simple oversight.
Examples of oversight in a Sentence
The fact that you didn't get an invitation is surely just an oversight.
The error was a simple oversight.
The new manager was given oversight of the project.
Recent Examples on the Web
Human oversight remains part of the workflow through integration with Robotic Security Operations Center, where remote analysts monitor activity, verify alerts, and direct responses when required, ensuring continuous supervision alongside autonomous functions, reports Electrek.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Its failure, especially the Republican majority in the House and Senate, to honor constitutional obligations as well as legislative and oversight responsibilities is disheartening.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The federal government maintains that oversight belongs to one of its agencies, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and prediction markets aren't under the purview of state gambling laws.
—CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
The group parted ways after a 1967 European tour, in part due to Phil Spector’s increasingly dictatorial oversight of their releases.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oversight
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Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
Its failure, especially the Republican majority in the House and Senate, to honor constitutional obligations as well as legislative and oversight responsibilities is disheartening.
—John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
The federal government maintains that oversight belongs to one of its agencies, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and prediction markets aren't under the purview of state gambling laws.
—CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
The group parted ways after a 1967 European tour, in part due to Phil Spector’s increasingly dictatorial oversight of their releases.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oversight
Cite this Entry
“Oversight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oversight. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oversight
noun
over·sight
-ˌsīt
1
: the act or duty of overseeing : supervision
have the oversight of a job
2
: an error or a leaving something out through carelessness or haste
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