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supervisor

supervisor

332 2.8
A person who watches workers and helps them do their jobs correctly
  • noun
  • /ˈsuːpərvaɪzər/
: supervisor
  • The supervisor praised the team for their hard work and encouraged them to keep up the excellent performance.
  • managers and supervisors
  • staff and supervisors
  • supervisors and supervisees

You know, I, my, my supervisor is a really good writer.

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Examples

  • Before starting the project, I need to consult my supervisor to ensure I am following the correct guidelines.

  • I'm a shift supervisor at Ventana.

  • - May I speak to your supervisor, please?

  • I'll have to send this application up to my supervisor.

  • I'll just tell my supervisor.

  • Only 6% said they would talk to a manager or a supervisor to cope with stress.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Please address the memo to your supervisor, Ms. Johnson. Describe the results of your research.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Each region included one regional supervisor, five to six field supervisors, and 16 to 18 field interviewers.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Each student was randomly assigned to one of five university supervisors in the professional practice program.

    Academic text (2013)
  • As a new employee, she found it helpful to have regular meetings with her supervisor for guidance and support.

Synonyms

boss
vssupervisor
∞ 1.0

A person in charge of a group or workers

is specifically about checking work and meeting standards rather than general authority
manager
vssupervisor
∞ 1.6

A person who controls money and work in a company

emphasizes direct task checking and standards rather than resource control
master
vssupervisor
∞ 3.7

A person in charge of a group or place

is more narrowly about overseeing work to meet objectives
superintendent
vssupervisor
160 6.0

A person who manages an organization or its department, often in police and schools

focuses on everyday task oversight rather than broad institutional control
handler
vssupervisor
92 3.9

Person who manages and helps a public figure like a celebrity or politician

is general workplace oversight, not limited to special fields
controller
vssupervisor
89 4.2

A person who directs and manages a team or activity

is centered on ensuring tasks meet standards rather than enforcing restraint
foreman
vssupervisor
59 3.1

A person who directs and watches workers on a building site or in a factory

is more general, applying to oversight beyond a single crew
monitor
vssupervisor
54 3.2

A person who watches others to make sure they follow rules

actively ensures ongoing task standards rather than only watching
co-ordinator
vssupervisor
  • UK
44 3.2

A person who organizes people and activities so they work well together

focuses on checking work quality and meeting specific objectives
overseer
vssupervisor
25 4.8

A person who watches and directs workers at places like a factory or construction site

is broader, covering oversight across different tasks and areas
micromanager
vssupervisor
2 6.8

A manager who closely controls every small part of employees' work

ensures standards but without obsessive attention to trivial details
straw boss
vssupervisor
  • Jargon
1 8.7

A worker who leads other workers but has little power

has official responsibility for meeting standards and objectives
gaffer
vssupervisor
  • UK
1 8.1

A person in charge of workers on a work site

is the standard, formal role ensuring standards and objectives are met
overman
vssupervisor
  • Archaic
1 7.7

A person in charge of workers in a mine or factory

covers oversight in all workplaces, not only heavy industry
manhandler
vssupervisor
7.5

A person who manages and directs workers

is the formal role of ensuring standards rather than informal direction

Antonyms

18 4.8

Lower in rank or importance and under someone's control

Compounds

9.8

A command a program sends to pause and ask the operating system to do a task

How Senior

executive
659 4.5
director
129 3.0
manager
∞ 1.6
supervisor
332 2.8
leader
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

supervisor singular
supervisors plural

Morphology

supervisor = supervise (transparent) = supervise + or

Formed by adding the agentive suffix '-or' to the verb 'supervise'; the meaning 'one who supervises' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Supervisor comes from the Latin parts super ('over') and videre ('to see'), so it originally meant someone who 'sees over' others. That's why a supervisor watches, checks, and guides the work of people to make sure standards are met.