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oversight
/ˈoʊvərsaɪt/
supervision or management
The project was completed successfully under the team's oversight.
The team supervised and managed the project to ensure its success.
formal
The action of overseeing or supervising something, typically to ensure proper functioning or compliance.
The government agency provides oversight for financial institutions to prevent fraud.
The agency monitors and regulates financial institutions to detect and prevent fraudulent activities.
Oversight can be performed by individuals, organizations, or regulatory bodies.
informal
An unintentional mistake or failure to notice something.
It was an oversight that the invoice was not sent to the client.
The team accidentally forgot to send the invoice, which was an oversight.
This meaning is often used to politely acknowledge a mistake without assigning blame.
Collocations
exercise oversightto supervise or monitor somethingunder the oversight ofsupervised or managed byregulatory oversightgovernment or institutional supervision
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
Be mindful of the context when using 'oversight.' In professional settings, it refers to supervision, while in casual speech, it can mean a minor mistake.
Gold Rule
Avoid Ambiguity
To prevent confusion, clarify whether you are referring to supervision or a mistake when using 'oversight.'
Word Origin
From Middle English oversighte, from over- + sight (from Old English siht).
Usage Notes
The word 'oversight' can have both positive and negative connotations depending on context. In a professional setting, it refers to supervision, while in casual conversation, it often implies a minor mistake.
Word Breakdown
over-
above or beyond
prefix-sight
the act of seeing or observing
rootEnglish Dictionary