surveil

USAGE SUMMARY

"surveil" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It can be used as a verb meaning to keep under close observation or to monitor something. For example: "The police surveilled the suspect's house to make sure he was not involved in any illegal activities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Stripping the in- from inchoate is known as back-formation, the same process that has given us words like peeve (from peevish), surveil (from surveillance) and enthuse (from enthusiasm).

The New York Times

If you don't mind, I want to be, I want to surveil, I want surveillance of these people that are coming in — the Trojan Horse! — I want to know who the hell they are!

The New Yorker

Then we would move people around to surveil the person and also use technical surveillance — wiretaps and so on.

The New Yorker

Watching everyone share everything in their social lives and instrumenting the web to surveil everything they read outside the system is inherently unethical.

The Guardian - Tech

In the end, what matters is, 'Does all that add up to a reasonable belief that your target is outside the United States?'" So vast is this discretion that NSA analysts even have the authority to surveil communications between their targets and their lawyers, and that information can be not just stored but also disseminated.

The Guardian - Opinion

Governments present themselves as the protector of our privacy, but as the NSA story demonstrates, governments present the greatest threat to our privacy as they have the means both to surveil us and to use our information against us.

The Guardian - Opinion

Known as the Stasi by East Germans, it used some 90,000 regular employees and nearly double that number of informers to surveil the country's 17 million people.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Its powers to surveil U.S. citizens and foreign residents were significantly expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act (formally the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001).

Encyclopedia Britannica

We do have a fairly amazing ability to surveil foodborne illnesses.

Independent

Terror arrests have reached a record level and the police and MI5 are struggling to surveil the activities of at least 3,000 extremists who are said to be on the security radar.

Independent

If a group of armed Muslims took possession of a federal building or even its lobby to protest calls to surveil the entire group, it's even more doubtful they could avoid harsher, more-alarming labels.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "surveil" when you want to emphasize the act of keeping someone or something under close and often secretive observation, especially in contexts involving security or investigation.

Common error

Avoid using "surveil" in contexts where simple observation is intended. "Surveil" often implies a level of suspicion or control, so using "observe" or "monitor" might be more appropriate in neutral situations.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "surveil" is as a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object. As Ludwig AI explains, it describes the act of keeping someone or something under surveillance. Examples from Ludwig illustrate its use in contexts involving governments, police, and security services.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

83%

Encyclopedias

8%

Science

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "surveil" is a grammatically correct transitive verb that means to keep someone or something under surveillance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to describe monitoring activities, often with implications of security or investigation. The term is most frequently encountered in news and media contexts, with a neutral to professional register. To avoid misinterpretations, it's important to consider the connotations of scrutiny and suspicion associated with "surveil" and choose alternative words like "observe" or "monitor" for neutral contexts. Its frequent occurrence in authoritative sources highlights its validity and widespread acceptance in formal English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

keep under surveillance

This phrase emphasizes the state of being watched closely.

monitor

This term focuses on the continuous observation and recording of activity.

observe

This term highlights the act of watching attentively.

track

This term implies following the movement or progress of something.

keep watch on

This phrase suggests vigilance and attentiveness in observing.

keep an eye on

This is a more informal way of saying to watch carefully.

scrutinize

This term suggests a very detailed and critical observation.

oversee

This term suggests supervision and direction while observing.

inspect

This term implies a formal or official examination.

police

This term suggests monitoring for the purpose of maintaining order or control.

FAQs

How is "surveil" used in a sentence?

You can use "surveil" in a sentence to describe the act of keeping something or someone under close observation, as in "The government agencies "surveil" communications to prevent terrorist attacks."

What are some alternatives to "surveil"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "monitor", "observe", or "keep under surveillance" instead of "surveil".

What is the difference between "surveil" and "observe"?

"Surveil" generally implies a more systematic and often secretive observation, typically with the goal of gathering information or maintaining control. "Observe" is a more general term for watching something.

Is "surveil" formal or informal?

"Surveil" is generally considered a neutral to formal term, often used in professional or official contexts. More informal alternatives include "keep an eye on".