overhear

overhear — verb

1. to catch part of another person's talk by accident when the speakers do not know

1.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to catch part of another person's talk by accident when the speakers do not know you can hear it.

Example

On the bus, Emma overheard two nurses discussing tomorrow's strike.

pattern: overhear + people + -ing

From the hallway, we overheard the principal cancel Friday's game.

pattern: overhear + person + bare infinitive

Common collocations
  • overhear a conversation
  • overhear a remark
  • overhear your name
  • overhear an argument
  • overhear someone talking
Synonyms
  • hear

    much broader and does not suggest private talk or accidental listening

  • catch

    often used for a word or short phrase, especially when hearing is difficult

  • eavesdrop

    stronger because it implies deliberate listening to a private conversation

Grammar Patterns

overhear + conversation/remark/name

overhear + someone + say/do something

overhear + someone + -ing

Usage Note

Often takes words like conversation, argument, remark, or name as its object, or a person plus another verb. It usually suggests chance hearing rather than deliberate listening, unlike eavesdrop.

Common Mistakes

I overheard about their plan on the train.
I overheard their plan on the train.
'overhear' takes a direct object, not 'about'.
Mina overheard to her parents in the kitchen.
Mina overheard her parents talking in the kitchen.
the object is the person or words you heard, not the listener.

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Overhear' is used when you hear part of another person's conversation even though it was not meant for you. 'Hear' is much broader and simply means sound reaches your ears. 'Catch' often means hearing a word or short remark, especially when the sound is weak or unclear. 'Eavesdrop' and 'listen in on' are more intentional: you try to hear something private. So if Emma overhears two nurses on the bus, it happens by chance. If she waits near them to follow every detail, she is eavesdropping or listening in on their conversation.

overhear ↗hear ↗catch ↗eavesdroplisten in on

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • overhear someone say
  • overhear someone talking
  • be overheard by

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Built in English from 'over-' and 'hear'. In this verb, 'over-' developed the sense of hearing something from nearby without being part of it. The second part comes from Old English forms of 'hear'. Together they produced a verb for catching other people's words unexpectedly.