# oversee

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˌəʊ.vəˈsiː/ · frequency rank #14,802

## Definitions
1. To survey, look at something in a wide angle.
2. To supervise, guide, review or direct the actions of a person or group.
3. To inspect, examine.
4. To fail to see; to overlook, ignore.
5. To observe secretly or unintentionally.

## Etymology
From Middle English overseen, ouverseen, from Old English ofersēon (“to observe, oversee; to overlook, neglect”), equivalent to over- + see.

## Easily confused with
- **overuse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversee-vs-overuse)
- **oversees** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversee-vs-oversees)
- **overseen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversee-vs-overseen)
- **overseer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversee-vs-overseer)
- **overused** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversee-vs-overused)
- **oversize** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversee-vs-oversize)
- **overdue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overdue-vs-oversee)
- **oversaw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oversaw-vs-oversee)
- **obverse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/obverse-vs-oversee)
- **overseas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/overseas-vs-oversee)

## Common misspellings (9)
`oevrsee`, `overese`, `overrsee`, `overse`, `overssee`, `ovesree`, `ovresee`, `ovversee`, `voersee`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/oversee