English Dictionary

Definition of “overhear

overhear (ˌəʊvəˈhɪəPronunciation for overhear

Definitions

verb

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

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= hear, listen to eavesdrop on catch,

Usage examples

  • Sue spoke very quietly, as though inhabitants or ghosts might overhear us.
    Malcolm, John, Gothic Pursuit (1987)
  • Someone walks into your office as you are in the middle of a confidential phone call, and you do not want them to overhear it.
    New Scientist (2004)
  • ``Then I'd overhear fellas from my rugby team standing at the bar fibbing to girls that they were hairdressers, too.
    Courier, Sunday Mail (2004)
  • I can overhear one of my companions asking the same of another clerk.
    Times, Sunday Times (2002)
  • I just loved demonstrating after that, always hoping to overhear those words again.
    MacLehose, Christopher (ed.), Turning the Page: Essays, Memoirs, Fiction, Poetry and One Sermon (1993)

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