overhear
verb
over·hear
ˌō-vər-ˈhir 
overheard
ˌō-vər-ˈhərd
; overhearing
ˌō-vər-ˈhir-iŋ
; overhearing
ˌō-vər-ˈhir-iŋ
: to hear without the speaker's knowledge or intention
: to overhear something
Examples of overhear in a Sentence
She overheard what her boss said to his secretary.
I overheard a rumor about you.
They were overheard discussing the project.
Recent Examples on the Web
During a phone interview, one woman was overheard asking a person near her how to respond to at least two questions.
—
Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
Commissioner Eileen Higgins was overheard saying from the board members’ seats in the fifth row for Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s Jan. 24 State of the County address.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
If people didn’t know, then my daughter couldn't accidentally overhear conversations about it.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024
Hallway encounters and overheard lunch conversations led to big moments.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024
After her mother overheard someone calling Reese the Bayou Barbie, Reese started selling merch splashed with the nickname, and tried to trademark it.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024
Tyler Loudon of Houston overheard his wife, a BP mergers and acquisitions manager, discuss the company’s acquisition of TravelCenters of America Inc. and bought 46,450 shares of the latter’s stocks ahead of the announcement on Feb. 16, 2023, the SEC said in a news release.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2024
Nominees like Danielle Brooks and Sterling K. Brown, flanked by their spouses Dennis Gelin and Ryan Michelle Bathe, were overheard making plans to hit Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Gold Party.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024
Police were called to Small’s apartment after neighbors overheard gunshots coming from inside on Tuesday, according to a law enforcement source.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
Commissioner Eileen Higgins was overheard saying from the board members’ seats in the fifth row for Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s Jan. 24 State of the County address.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
If people didn’t know, then my daughter couldn't accidentally overhear conversations about it.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024
Hallway encounters and overheard lunch conversations led to big moments.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024
After her mother overheard someone calling Reese the Bayou Barbie, Reese started selling merch splashed with the nickname, and tried to trademark it.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2024
Tyler Loudon of Houston overheard his wife, a BP mergers and acquisitions manager, discuss the company’s acquisition of TravelCenters of America Inc. and bought 46,450 shares of the latter’s stocks ahead of the announcement on Feb. 16, 2023, the SEC said in a news release.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 25 Feb. 2024
Nominees like Danielle Brooks and Sterling K. Brown, flanked by their spouses Dennis Gelin and Ryan Michelle Bathe, were overheard making plans to hit Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Gold Party.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024
Police were called to Small’s apartment after neighbors overheard gunshots coming from inside on Tuesday, according to a law enforcement source.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overhear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overhear
Cite this Entry
“Overhear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overhear. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overhear
verb
over·hear
ˌō-vər-ˈhi(ə)r
overheard
-ˈhərd
; overhearing
-ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
; overhearing
-ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
: to hear without the speaker's knowledge or intention
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share