Word
oversight
Phoneticsover·sight
US/ˈoʊvɝˌsaɪt/
UK/ˈəʊvəsˌaɪt/
Definitions
01a mistake or omission
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a mistake made because you forgot something or did not notice it.
n. an unintentional failure to notice or do something. Countable or uncountable depending on whether it refers to a specific instance or a general state.
“Leaving your name off the list was a simple oversight, and we will fix it now.”
“The failure to include the safety clause in the final contract was a major oversight that led to months of legal disputes.”
Antonyms
02supervision
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the job of watching a process or organization to make sure it works correctly.
n. the state or act of supervising or managing a process, organization, or project. Often used in political or corporate contexts.
“The committee provides oversight to ensure the money is spent honestly.”
“Effective regulatory oversight is essential to prevent the kind of systemic risks that led to the previous financial crisis.”
Antonyms
03to supervise
C2 · Proficiency Formal
v. to watch over and manage a job or a group of people.
v. to supervise or manage. This usage is less common than the standard verb 'oversee'.
“He was hired to oversight the new construction project in the city centre.”
“The department was established specifically to oversight the implementation of the new environmental protocols across all regional branches.”
Usage
Transitive verb taking a direct object.
04to hide internet content
C1 · Advanced Computing Slang · Technical
v. to hide or limit how many people can see a post on the internet.
v. to suppress or minimize the visibility of digital content, often through algorithmic means.
“The user complained that the platform was trying to oversight his political posts.”
“Content creators often worry that certain keywords will cause the algorithm to oversight their videos, reducing their reach significantly.”
Real-World Examples
“Some believe the sheer volume of tasks that will be handled by these tools will mean human oversight might not be enough to contain the problem of models going rogue .” “Concentrix - which is the biggest outsourcing firm in the Philippines - says its AI systems should remain under human oversight and has committed to training employees in the new technology.” “US firm tightens oversight of automatic licence-plate readers after reports of misuse by police officers.” Etymology
From over- + sight. Verb sense 2 is a semantic loan from German Aufsicht.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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