overseer

noun

over·​seer ˈō-vər-ˌsir How to pronounce overseer (audio)
ˈō-və-,
-ˌsē-ər;
ˌō-vər-ˈsir,
ˌō-və-,
-ˈsē-ər
plural overseers
: a person who oversees others : a person with supervisory responsibilities
Her insider status was cemented in 1988 with a stint as … overseer of the party's nominating convention.Gwen Ifill
… suggests that in Upper Egypt the control of local affairs by the pharaoh's overseer was gradually diluted during the late Old Kingdom …Robert J. Wenke
Some pension funds proactively keep government overseers up to date so that they will not feel a need to be intrusive.Simon C. Y. Wong

Examples of overseer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This person would now be an overseer of intelligence coming through the government’s various channels, with access to practically every scrap of the nation’s most sensitive information. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025 If confirmed by Senate, Rollins, 52, will play an important role in determining whether rural and low-income Americans feel supported by the administration, as the overseer of a wide range of agencies that deal with forests, food safety, food stamps and rural development. Kyler Alvord, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025 The campaign organizers helped to assemble a team of overseers who will make governance decisions for setting up the foundation, like hiring a CEO and deploying the cash that’s raised. Richard Nieva, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025 The company created a board of overseers to review any product the company created, and its products’ code was made public. David Goldman, CNN, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overseer

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overseer was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Overseer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overseer. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

overseer

noun
over·​seer ˈō-və(r)-ˌsi(ə)r How to pronounce overseer (audio)
-ˌsē-ər;
ˌō-və(r)-ˈsi(ə)r,
-ˈsē-ər
: one that oversees : superintendent

More from Merriam-Webster on overseer

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