as in heard
to listen to (another in private conversation)
it's not polite to try to overhear intimate friends sharing confidences
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overheard
He was also overheard threatening to kill the store’s manager, police said.
—
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 16 Jan. 2026
The next day in English class, the teacher overheard Julian talking about the letter.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Talk openly about world events—without scaring them Even young children absorb bits of information about conflict, violence, and disaster—whether through classmates, TV in a waiting room, or overheard adult conversations.
—Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 31 Dec. 2025
During her stint as a cast member in Broadway’s Hair, Keaton was in a constant battle with her weight and overheard a cast member talking about throwing up her food.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 26 Dec. 2025
The two left the bathroom and went into an empty lab classroom, where a female student overheard Matthews accuse Meismer of stealing the vape pen, prosecutors allege, Click2Houston reports.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Later in the day, a different teacher overheard the student talking about the incident, according to the lawsuit.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
Two sources familiar with video of the strike said the two survivors were waving overheard before they were killed.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Gate agents were asked to relay the information—contrary to procedure—but mistakenly assumed the aircraft’s cabin manager had overheard a radio call outlining the issue.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 16 Jan. 2026
The next day in English class, the teacher overheard Julian talking about the letter.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Talk openly about world events—without scaring them Even young children absorb bits of information about conflict, violence, and disaster—whether through classmates, TV in a waiting room, or overheard adult conversations.
—Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 31 Dec. 2025
During her stint as a cast member in Broadway’s Hair, Keaton was in a constant battle with her weight and overheard a cast member talking about throwing up her food.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 26 Dec. 2025
The two left the bathroom and went into an empty lab classroom, where a female student overheard Matthews accuse Meismer of stealing the vape pen, prosecutors allege, Click2Houston reports.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 22 Dec. 2025
Later in the day, a different teacher overheard the student talking about the incident, according to the lawsuit.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 19 Dec. 2025
Two sources familiar with video of the strike said the two survivors were waving overheard before they were killed.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Gate agents were asked to relay the information—contrary to procedure—but mistakenly assumed the aircraft’s cabin manager had overheard a radio call outlining the issue.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overheard
Verb
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Over the summer, the NTSB heard 32 hours of testimony over three days, probing virtually every detail of what could have led to the midair collision.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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In total, roughly 10 shots can be heard.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In October, a resident of View Park-Windsor Hills, an unincorporated neighborhood in West Los Angeles, spied a man descending into a manhole and called police.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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Idling along the road one day for a lunch break, Campos spied someone building houses.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Where are onramp traffic meters monitored?—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Police units, including some with riot shields and gas masks, monitored the gathering from a distance but there were no clashes or unrest.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overheard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overheard. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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