ENGLISH
REFERENCE

oversight

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ˈoʊvɝˌsaɪt// UK //ˈəʊvəsˌaɪt// over·sight Dialect

n. a mistake made because you did not notice something or forgot to do it. It can also mean the job of watching over a project to make sure it is done correctly.

n. an unintentional failure to notice or do something; alternatively, the state or act of supervising a process or organization.


SIMPLE

Leaving your name off the form was a simple oversight.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee provides independent oversight of the project to ensure all safety regulations are followed.

COMPLEX

While the error was initially dismissed as a minor oversight, subsequent investigations revealed a systemic lack of administrative control within the department.

Synonyms
Origin

From over- + sight. Verb sense 2 is a semantic loan from German Aufsicht.

Usage

In the sense of a mistake, it is typically countable; in the sense of supervision, it is often uncountable.

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