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

Officers flooded the area Wednesday night, with patrol cars lining the roadways and a police helicopter circling the park overhead. —Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026

While the two play cat and mouse, an insidious supervillain in Kenneth Branagh looms overhead, threatening to take Jordan down. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026

Adjective

And for years, at the height of summer, the sun is nearly directly overhead. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026

Search-and-rescue corpsmen were overhead, with a hovering helicopter squadron. —Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026

Noun

Just step inside and you’ll be engulfed in a space that feels more contemporary than classic, with earthy wooden architectural details and warm overhead open light fixtures. —Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

Some of that is due to actual transportation costs, some to tariffs and some to general overhead of importing, warehousing and distributing. —Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 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