supervisory

[soo-per-vahy-zuh-ree]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having supervision.

Other Word Forms

• nonsupervisory adjective
• unsupervisory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of supervisory¹

First recorded in 1840–50; supervise + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

These include two supervisory attorneys from the Capitol Siege Section of the U.S.

From Salon

Hamas political officials were present but said their role was "supervisory", with an NGO in charge of distributing some 6,000 food parcels.

From BBC

In an affidavit filed with the federal complaint, a supervisory special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, whose name was redacted, said news quickly spread about “ICE raids” taking place throughout L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

The UN and other agencies say they have strong supervisory mechanisms and that when aid has surged into Gaza, incidents of looting have largely halted.

From BBC

An internal police review, obtained by the BBC via a Freedom of Information request, detailed a catalogue of errors that left the earlier case drifting for 18 months without "supervisory oversight".

From BBC

Related Words

• bureaucratic 
• departmental www.thesaurus.com
• governmental www.thesaurus.com
• legislative 
• managerial 
• ministerial 
• organizational www.thesaurus.com
• policy-making www.thesaurus.com
• regulatory 

When To Use

What does supervisory mean?

Supervisory is used to describe things that involve supervision, which is the act of overseeing, watching over, and providing direction for someone or something.Supervisory is an adjective form of the verb supervise, and it’s especially used in the phrases supervisory role and supervisory capacity, both of which refer to positions that involve supervision (or positions for which supervision is a responsibility).The word supervise often refers to supervising a project or people, parents supervising their children, or a manager or supervisor supervising their employees. Supervisory is most often used in the context of supervisors in the workplace or government agencies that conduct oversight.Example: I’ve been asked to come on in a supervisory capacity to oversee the project.