surveillance

noun
UK: /sɜːˈveɪləns/
US: /sərˈveɪləns/

  1. The careful watching of a person or place, especially by police or soldiers, because of a crime that has happened or is expected.

    1. The suspect was under constant surveillance. [ ] [ ]
    2. The police maintained discreet surveillance of the building, hoping to catch the burglars in the act. [ ] [ ]

  2. Close observation of someone or something, often involving the use of electronic equipment.

    1. Video surveillance showed him leaving the bank. [ ] [ ]
    2. Increased surveillance measures are being implemented to prevent further terrorist attacks. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

scrutiny espionage supervision reconnaissance observation

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "surveillance" in English means: The careful watching of a person or place, especially by police or soldiers, because of a crime that has happened or is expected., Close observation of someone or something, often involving the use of electronic equipment..

The phonetic transcription of "surveillance" is /sɜːˈveɪləns/ in British English and /sərˈveɪləns/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "surveillance": scrutiny, espionage, supervision, reconnaissance, observation.

Example usage of "surveillance": "The suspect was under constant surveillance.". More examples on the page.