oversight
OH-ver-syte
/ˈoʊvərsaɪt/
The action of overseeing something; supervision.
A 'contronym'—it can mean both careful supervision and an accidental failure to notice something. In ethics, we usually mean supervision.
The story behind the word. A literal compound of 'over' and 'sight.' It describes the act of looking over a process from a higher vantage point to ensure it is done correctly.
Word relationships
- supervision: Supervision is more direct and day-to-day; oversight is often more high-level and retrospective.
- neglect: Neglect is the total failure to watch over or care for something.
Commonly confused with
- surveillance: Surveillance is close observation, often of a suspect; oversight is the general management of a system.
Word family
- oversee (verb): Supervise (a person or work), especially in an official capacity.
Collocations
- regulatory oversight
- lack of oversight
- oversight committee
Example sentences
- "The Congressional committee provides oversight of the intelligence agencies to prevent abuses of power." Government
Memory hook
Oversight is having 'Sight' from 'Over' the project. Watch from above.
When not to use
Be careful of the context so the reader knows if you mean 'supervision' or 'a mistake.'
Fun facts
- Oversight is one of the few words in English that is its own antonym (a contronym).
Related words
Explore more words
inadvertent, negligence, inspection, inattention, sanction, stewardship
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