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View synonyms for overhear

overhear

[ oh-ver-heer ]

verb (used with object)

, o·ver·heard, o·ver·hear·ing.
  1. to hear (speech or a speaker) without the speaker's intention or knowledge:

    I accidentally overheard what they were saying.



overhear

/ ˌəʊvəˈhɪə /

verb

  1. tr to hear (a person, remark, etc) without the knowledge of the speaker


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Other Words From

  • over·hearer noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of overhear1

First recorded in 1540–50; over- + hear

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Example Sentences

The little retreats stand close enough to one another that you can overhear your neighbors’ conversations.

We don’t walk by whiteboards scrawled with ideas that catch our attention or overhear something pertinent to that project that is consuming us.

From Quartz

Typically, the brain starts with some new memory, encoded that day—maybe an important event, a discussion overheard at work, or something related to a personal concern—and searches for other, weakly associated memories.

The guy at the next table did, and I overheard his conversation.

Oftentimes, one group would overhear another, and the conversation would spill over into a new subject.

From Fortune

Throughout the day, you would overhear chit-chat about the ongoing tug-of-war between libertarians and social conservatives.

For good measure, he tosses in an unfortunate BUSBOY that happened to overhear the conversation.

In the changing room, I overhear two jocks discussing the crisis.

But, late at night, I would overhear their conversation in the language they did not speak during the day, in a different tone.

Standing in line for coffee, or just walking down the street, I would overhear people share online-dating experiences.

Jessie feared that Belle would overhear the comments of Burd and her chum, and she hurried the eating of her second sundae.

Henry replied in the affirmative, declaring that he unfortunately could not overhear the subject under discussion.

The old man had approached near enough to overhear the words and recognise the face.

Thus did the old gentleman mutter loud enough for Newton to overhear.

Harry, who had been consulting with our comrades who had just arrived, returned in time to overhear a part of this conversation.

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