Dictionary
oversight
noun over·sight \ˈō-vər-ˌsīt\
: a mistake made because someone forgets or fails to notice something
: the act or job of directing work that is being done
Full Definition of OVERSIGHT
1
a : watchful and responsible care b : regulatory supervision <congressional oversight>
2
: an inadvertent omission or error
See oversight defined for English-language learners
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First Known Use of OVERSIGHT
15th century
Related to OVERSIGHT
Rhymes with OVERSIGHT
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OVERSIGHT Defined for Kids
oversight
noun over·sight \ˈō-vər-ˌsīt\
Definition of OVERSIGHT for Kids
1
: the act or duty of overseeing : watchful care <He was assigned oversight of the project.>
2
: an error or something forgotten through carelessness or haste <It was surely an oversight that you weren't invited.>
Headscratcher for OVERSIGHT
What do “watchful care” and “careless error” have in common? Though they are opposites they are both meanings of oversight.
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