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
overheard their conversation
: to overhear something
went someplace where she couldn't overhear
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
The delay has lasted for more than 20 minutes now and a live video feed of the event overheard the waiting athletes discussing the merits of zucchini bread, among other things.
—
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026
They’re told to me by someone else or overheard at a party or read about in the newspaper or on the Nextdoor app.
—Peter Larsen, Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
The internal monologue is perhaps the more obvious choice for paranoid fiction, but by writing in dialogue, Dorfman puts us in the place of the listener with an ear pressed to a closed door, overhearing the anxious voices.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
On January 21st, an ICE vehicle pulled into the loading dock of the high school; in a video of the incident, taken from a classroom window, students can be overheard in a hubbub of jeering, incredulity, and fear.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overhear
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Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 Feb. 2026
They’re told to me by someone else or overheard at a party or read about in the newspaper or on the Nextdoor app.
—Peter Larsen, Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
The internal monologue is perhaps the more obvious choice for paranoid fiction, but by writing in dialogue, Dorfman puts us in the place of the listener with an ear pressed to a closed door, overhearing the anxious voices.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
On January 21st, an ICE vehicle pulled into the loading dock of the high school; in a video of the incident, taken from a classroom window, students can be overheard in a hubbub of jeering, incredulity, and fear.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overhear
Cite this Entry
“Overhear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overhear. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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
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