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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Recent Examples of overhearing
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
When repeating the tests with dogs that weren't considered GWLs however, the team did not find any significant correlation between overhearing and learning, a finding of significance according to Dror.
—New Atlas, 9 Jan. 2026
Toddlers can pick up new words just by overhearing conversations.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
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
When repeating the tests with dogs that weren't considered GWLs however, the team did not find any significant correlation between overhearing and learning, a finding of significance according to Dror.
—New Atlas, 9 Jan. 2026
Toddlers can pick up new words just by overhearing conversations.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overhearing
Verb
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Parents rushed to the school in Kahramanmaras’ Onikisubat district after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Parents rushed to the school after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported, adding that police took security measures around the school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kohler and Paris were accused of spying for France and Israel and sentenced to lengthy prison terms in October 2025.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
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John offers to marry Claire to protect her when the British Army wants to arrest her for spying.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Elsewhere, traders will be monitoring Federal Reserve chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s confirmation hearing on Tuesday.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
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City officials have been closely monitoring the river levels as the forecasts evolved, said Public Works Director Tim Watkins.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When Sonny eventually passes out, Chee starts doing some snooping around.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Thornton, a vice president of strategic communications who has worked downtown for 17 years, including a decade with AIMCLEAR, was no stranger to snooping on behalf of his colleagues and his employer.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overhearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overhearing. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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