overhead

1 of 3

adverb

over·​head ˌō-vər-ˈhed 

: above one's head : aloft

overhead

2 of 3

adjective

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed 

1

a

: operating, lying, or coming from above

b

: having the driving part above the part driven

valves operated by an overhead camshaft

2

: of or relating to overhead

overhead costs

overhead

3 of 3

noun

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed 

1

: business expenses (such as rent, insurance, or heating) not chargeable to a particular part of the work or product

2

: ceiling

especially : the ceiling of a ship's compartment

3

: a stroke in a racket game made above head height : smash

Synonyms of overhead

Adverb

• upward
• above
• over

Examples of overhead in a Sentence

Adverb

A chandelier hung directly overhead.

People were making noise in the balcony overhead.

Noun

Her company has very little overhead.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

The first demo showed the vehicle driving up a large ramp, eventually reaching a vertical position before continuing overhead onto a horizontal, upside-down road. — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026

Two days before the March 27 attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia that wounded 12 American personnel, 14 Russian spy satellites passed overhead. — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Adjective

In addition to being a romantic design choice, using candlelight for dinner parties creates a much warmer and cozier environment than standard overhead lighting. — Alexis Berger, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026

The system lets robots choose suitable movements, such as stepping over objects, ducking under overhead barriers, or turning sideways to pass through narrow gaps. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026

Noun

The blood needs to be shot from overhead, from wide behind her, a close-up, and a wide frontal from the back of the auditorium. — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

But the British Beer & Pub Association blames tax and overheads, and across the EU, the share of beer drunk in pubs, bars, and restaurants has stopped shrinking after years of decline. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing overhead

• overhead projector

Rhymes for overhead

• abovesaid
• aforesaid
• arrowhead
• casinghead
• copperhead
• figurehead
• fountainhead
• gingerbread
• hammerhead
• infrared
• leatherhead
• letterhead

Kids Definition

overhead

1 of 3 adverb

over·​head ˌō-vər-ˈhed 

: above one's head : aloft

geese flying overhead

overhead

2 of 3 adjective

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed 

1

: operating or lying above

an overhead door

2

: of or relating to business expense

overhead

3 of 3 noun

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed 

1

: general business expenses (as rent, heat, or insurance)

2

: a stroke in a racket game made above head height : smash

Legal Definition

overhead

noun

over·​head ˈō-vər-ˌhed 

: business expenses (as rent or insurance) not chargeable to a particular part of the work or product