surveillance
noun
sur·veil·lance
sər-ˈvā-lən(t)s 
also
-ˈvāl-yən(t)s
or
-ˈvā-ən(t)s
: close watch kept over someone or something (as by a detective)
also
: supervision see also immune surveillance
Examples of surveillance in a Sentence
government surveillance of suspected terrorists
The bank robbery was recorded by surveillance video cameras.
Recent Examples on the Web
Atlantic City police said surveillance video first led them to the 57-year-old suspect, who was allegedly seen on video walking through the city trying to sell the instruments.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 6 June 2025
The suspect can be heard on surveillance video firing eight shots at the victims, according to the affidavit.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2025
Trending Stories On Wednesday morning, a forensic video expert told jurors that the infamous hotel surveillance video showing Combs slamming Ventura to the ground and kicking and dragging her in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in 2016 was not manually doctored.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2025
Photo-illustration: Anjali Nair; Getty Images With President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the US government’s digital surveillance machine more powerful than ever, digital privacy should be top of mind.
—Matt Burgess, Wired News, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for surveillance
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Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 6 June 2025
The suspect can be heard on surveillance video firing eight shots at the victims, according to the affidavit.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2025
Trending Stories On Wednesday morning, a forensic video expert told jurors that the infamous hotel surveillance video showing Combs slamming Ventura to the ground and kicking and dragging her in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in 2016 was not manually doctored.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2025
Photo-illustration: Anjali Nair; Getty Images With President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the US government’s digital surveillance machine more powerful than ever, digital privacy should be top of mind.
—Matt Burgess, Wired News, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for surveillance
Cite this Entry
“Surveillance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surveillance. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surveillance
noun
sur·veil·lance
sər-ˈvā-lən(t)s
also -ˈvāl-yən(t)s,
or -ˈvā-ən(t)s
: close watch
under surveillance
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