supervisor

noun

su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər How to pronounce supervisor (audio)
Synonyms of supervisornext
: one that supervises
especially : an administrative officer in charge of a business, government, or school unit or operation
supervisory
ˌsü-pər-ˈvī-zə-rē How to pronounce supervisor (audio)
-ˈvīz-rē
adjective

Synonyms of supervisor

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Examples of supervisor in a Sentence

The supervisor fired him after he showed up at work drunk. If you have a problem, go to your supervisor.
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.
Dawson's own supervisor pushed back on that conclusion, according to the suit, saying the evidence didn't clearly support anyone's version of events. — CBS News, 30 July 2026 About two hours later, in the middle of the night, Lieutenant Patrick Carron from the MDMR spoke with the shift supervisor from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Lieutenant Tracy Odom. — Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026 Jaynes, investigators say, fled the scene and didn't alert police or his supervisors at the company. — Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 29 July 2026 According to the complaint, Grigsby attempted to tell Martinez that concerns about a defense attorney’s performance should be directed to supervisors rather than discussed in open court. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for supervisor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from supervidēre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supervisor was in the 15th century

Rhymes for supervisor

See All Rhymes for supervisor

Browse Nearby Words

supervision
supervisor
supervisor district
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Supervisor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supervisor. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

supervisor

noun
su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər How to pronounce supervisor (audio)
: a person who supervises
especially : an officer in charge of a unit or an operation of a business, government, or school
supervisory
ˌsü-pər-ˈvīz-(ə-)rē How to pronounce supervisor (audio)
adjective

Legal Definition

supervisor

noun
su·​per·​vi·​sor ˈsü-pər-ˌvī-zər How to pronounce supervisor (audio)
: one that directs or oversees a person, group, department, organization, or operation
specifically : the popularly elected chief administrative official of a township or other subdivision in some states of the U.S.
supervisorial
ˌsü-pər-ˌvī-ˈzōr-ē-əl
adjective
supervisory
ˌsü-pər-ˈvī-zə-rē How to pronounce supervisor (audio)
adjective

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Nglish: Translation of supervisor for Spanish Speakers

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