Word
surveillance
Phoneticssur·veil·lance, stress on the second syllable
US/sɝˈveɪɫəns/
UK/səvˈeɪləns/
Definitions
01security monitoring
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal
n. the act of watching a person or place carefully, often using cameras or technology, to stop crime.
n. the systematic observation of places or persons by visual, electronic, or other technical means for security or investigative purposes.
“The bank installed new surveillance cameras to watch the entrance 24 hours a day.”
“The intelligence agency maintained constant electronic surveillance on the suspect's communications to identify potential accomplices.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun or as a modifier in phrases like 'surveillance equipment' or 'surveillance footage'.
Teaching tip
Learners often misspell this word; remind them of the double 'l' and the 'ei' sequence.
Synonyms
02medical monitoring
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Medicine Technical
n. the process of tracking how a disease spreads to keep people safe.
n. the continuous, systematic collection and analysis of health data for the planning and evaluation of public health practice.
“Health officials used disease surveillance to find out where the flu was spreading fastest.”
“Epidemiological surveillance is critical for detecting early signs of an outbreak before it reaches a pandemic scale.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the phrase 'public health surveillance'.
Teaching tip
In this context, the word is almost always uncountable.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “surveillance” in context.
Verb
01. conduct surveillance
“The intelligence agency was authorized to conduct surveillance on the suspect's activities.”
verb + noun
02. evade surveillance
“The hackers used sophisticated encryption to evade surveillance by government authorities.”
verb + noun
03. keep under surveillance
“The police kept the building under surveillance for several weeks before making an arrest.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
04. constant surveillance
“Living under constant surveillance can have a detrimental effect on a person's mental health.”
adj + noun
05. covert surveillance
“The private investigator specialized in covert surveillance to gather evidence for the trial.”
adj + noun
06. intrusive surveillance
“Civil liberties groups have criticized the new laws as a form of intrusive surveillance.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. surveillance camera
“The high-definition surveillance camera captured the license plate of the fleeing vehicle.”
noun + noun
08. surveillance operation
“The drug task force launched a large-scale surveillance operation to dismantle the cartel.”
noun + noun
Preposition
09. under surveillance
“He felt uneasy knowing that his every move was under surveillance.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Flock markets its products as crime-fighting tools for law enforcement and private groups such neighbourhood watch committees, but critics accuse the company of operating a system of mass surveillance with little oversight.” “The government, German said, also appeared to be relying on theories of “guilt by association” to justify surveillance instead of narrower investigations focused on specific alleged criminal activity.” “Federal prosecutors brought the stalking charges against Mangione, alleging he travelled between states and carried out electronic surveillance with the intention of killing or harming Thompson.” “This was around the time that Amazon's Ring, a doorbell camera firm, cancelled a partnership with Flock after an outcry over a Super Bowl advert which sparked concern about unwanted surveillance.” Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French surveillance (“a watching over, overseeing, supervision”), from surveiller (“to watch, oversee”), from sur- (“over”) + veiller (“to watch”), from Middle French, from Old French veillier (“to stay awake”), from Latin vigilāre (“to be watchful”). More at vigilant.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domains
- 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
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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