as in hearing
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 overhearing
The episode ends with Teddy getting a voicemail from Owen and overhearing a bridge collapse and car crash that may be fatal.
—
Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Another resident reported frequently overhearing arguing coming from the apartment.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
For creator Lee Sung Jin, the inspiration came from overhearing a heated dispute inside a couple’s home.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026
The only real threat is a whistleblower, like an outcast kid overhearing the whole criminal scheme from the floor below his mother’s office.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
Haley began making the octopi after overhearing a nurse saying some would be helpful in the NICU.
—ABC News, 26 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
Dogs also learned new object names by overhearing them.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 25 Jan. 2026
Hyman remembers overhearing a conversation between Stecher and then-Oilers assistant coach Paul Coffey as the trade deadline approached.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Another resident reported frequently overhearing arguing coming from the apartment.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026
For creator Lee Sung Jin, the inspiration came from overhearing a heated dispute inside a couple’s home.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026
The only real threat is a whistleblower, like an outcast kid overhearing the whole criminal scheme from the floor below his mother’s office.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
Haley began making the octopi after overhearing a nurse saying some would be helpful in the NICU.
—ABC News, 26 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
Dogs also learned new object names by overhearing them.
—Liz Regalia, Parents, 25 Jan. 2026
Hyman remembers overhearing a conversation between Stecher and then-Oilers assistant coach Paul Coffey as the trade deadline approached.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overhearing
Verb
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Perhaps alarmingly, the city’s air defenses appeared to be less active during the final wave of Russian strikes on Tuesday morning, with CNN producers hearing ongoing explosions, but not the sound of counter-systems firing.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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In the months leading up to the election, city leaders voted to host a special election and placed a moratorium on future data center proposals after hearing residents' concerns.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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But Southampton’s expulsion following the spying scandal has handed Middlesbrough an extraordinary reprieve — and the betting market has reacted in their favour.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
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The incident comes as relations between the two countries remain at a historic low over the Ukraine war and longstanding spying allegations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The system operates in layers, with different agents monitoring different distances and threat levels.—
Matt Viser,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is monitoring whether or not GLP-1s will be considered as performance-enhancing.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Besides the risk of Oracle snooping into your business, there’s also the possibility of regulatory capture — that is, because Ellison is so tight with the Trumps, what remains of the government watchdogs won’t stop it.—
Elizabeth Lopatto,
The Verge,
29 Apr. 2026
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This leads to a lively scene where Carl and his glowering right-hand man make an impromptu visit to Hypergnosis headquarters and demand a demonstration of Duncan’s snooping network.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overhearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overhearing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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