Overhear
verb
To accidentally hear what other people are saying without them knowing.
I overheard your conversation in the hallway about the surprise party.
Often appears as...
- overheard a conversation
- overheard him talking
verb
To accidentally hear what other people are saying without them knowing.
I overheard your conversation in the hallway about the surprise party.
Often appears as...
- overheard a conversation
- overheard him talking
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Accidental Listening
Overhear implies hearing something unintentionally, not on purpose.
While in the library, I couldn't help but overhear a breakup conversation.
Pro Tip 2/3Unnoticed Presence
When you overhear, the people talking are usually unaware that you can hear them.
She overheard her colleagues discussing the project, but they didn't realize she was there.
Pro Tip 3/3Sensitive Information
Overheard conversations often contain private or sensitive information not meant for others.
He accidentally overheard his parents discussing financial troubles.
Pro Tip 1/3Accidental Listening
Overhear implies hearing something unintentionally, not on purpose.
While in the library, I couldn't help but overhear a breakup conversation.
Pro Tip 2/3Unnoticed Presence
When you overhear, the people talking are usually unaware that you can hear them.
She overheard her colleagues discussing the project, but they didn't realize she was there.
Pro Tip 3/3Sensitive Information
Overheard conversations often contain private or sensitive information not meant for others.
He accidentally overheard his parents discussing financial troubles.
Pro Tip 1/3Accidental Listening
Overhear implies hearing something unintentionally, not on purpose.
While in the library, I couldn't help but overhear a breakup conversation.
Pro Tip 2/3Unnoticed Presence
When you overhear, the people talking are usually unaware that you can hear them.
She overheard her colleagues discussing the project, but they didn't realize she was there.
Pro Tip 3/3Sensitive Information
Overheard conversations often contain private or sensitive information not meant for others.
He accidentally overheard his parents discussing financial troubles.
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Video examples
Unraveling a Mapmaker’s...
i'm peter guinn editor-at-large at national geographic magazine and you're listening to overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at netgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week we look at the imaginary lines we draw to divide up the world
Video examples
The five major world...
Then he overheard a music teacher telling a student, "Don't tighten the string too much, it will break. But don't let it go too slack, or it will not sound." In a flash, he realized that looking for answers at the extremes was a mistake. The middle way between luxury and poverty seemed wisest.
Video examples
The Real Amazons PIPE...
i'm amy briggs executive editor of national geographic history and this is overheard at national geographic a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have at nachio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week meet the warrior women overlooked by history
Video examples
The Secret Culture of...
editor-at-large at national geographic magazine and this is overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at natgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world over the last three years brian scary has traveled throughout the world's oceans
Video examples
Deep Inside the First...
national geographic and you're listening to overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at natgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week we're joining a national geographic photographer on assignment in the deep wilderness
Video examples
Cara E. Yar Khan: The...
until I officially declared my diagnosis to my employer. Because I was afraid that they would question my capacity to manage and I'd lose my job. I was working in countries where polio had been common, so when I overheard someone say that they thought I might have survived polio,
Video examples
The Aztecs: From Empire...
i'm amy briggs executive editor of national geographic history magazine and this is overheard the show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at nachio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week in honor of this anniversary
Video examples
Summiting the World’s...
i'm peter guinn editor at large at national geographic magazine and this is overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at naggio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world in the mountaineering world the first
Video examples
How Cicadas Become...
you it was a crazy tale i'm peter gwyn and this is overheard at national geographic a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at netgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world and baby this week gets
Video examples
The Battle for the Soul...
a text to speech program i'm a podcast producer for national geographic and you're listening to overheard a show where eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at nachio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world
Video examples
Unraveling a Mapmaker’s...
i'm peter guinn editor-at-large at national geographic magazine and you're listening to overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at netgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week we look at the imaginary lines we draw to divide up the world
Video examples
The five major world...
Then he overheard a music teacher telling a student, "Don't tighten the string too much, it will break. But don't let it go too slack, or it will not sound." In a flash, he realized that looking for answers at the extremes was a mistake. The middle way between luxury and poverty seemed wisest.
Video examples
The Real Amazons PIPE...
i'm amy briggs executive editor of national geographic history and this is overheard at national geographic a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have at nachio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week meet the warrior women overlooked by history
Video examples
The Secret Culture of...
editor-at-large at national geographic magazine and this is overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at natgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world over the last three years brian scary has traveled throughout the world's oceans
Video examples
Deep Inside the First...
national geographic and you're listening to overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at natgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week we're joining a national geographic photographer on assignment in the deep wilderness
Video examples
Cara E. Yar Khan: The...
until I officially declared my diagnosis to my employer. Because I was afraid that they would question my capacity to manage and I'd lose my job. I was working in countries where polio had been common, so when I overheard someone say that they thought I might have survived polio,
Video examples
The Aztecs: From Empire...
i'm amy briggs executive editor of national geographic history magazine and this is overheard the show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at nachio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world this week in honor of this anniversary
Video examples
Summiting the World’s...
i'm peter guinn editor at large at national geographic magazine and this is overheard a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at naggio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world in the mountaineering world the first
Video examples
How Cicadas Become...
you it was a crazy tale i'm peter gwyn and this is overheard at national geographic a show where we eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at netgeo and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world and baby this week gets
Video examples
The Battle for the Soul...
a text to speech program i'm a podcast producer for national geographic and you're listening to overheard a show where eavesdrop on the wild conversations we have here at nachio and follow them to the edges of our big weird beautiful world
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Rachel Joyce
British Author
The characters in my stories all have quite loud lives in my head. It's a relief to get them on the page. Often they come from people I've noticed or overheard - but that is only a part of them. It's only by writing that I discover who these people really are.
Quote examples
Harold Bloom
American Critic
Shakespeare will not make us better, and he will not make us worse, but he may teach us how to overhear ourselves when we talk to ourselves... he may teach us how to accept change in ourselves as in others, and perhaps even the final form of change.
Quote examples
David Whyte
English Poet
Poetry is often the art of overhearing yourself say things you didn't know you knew. It is a learned skill to force yourself to articulate your life, your present world or your possibilities for the future.
Quote examples
Helen Vendler
American Critic
I believe that poems are a score for performance by the reader, and that you become the speaking voice. You don't read or overhear the voice in the poem - you are the voice in the poem.
Quote examples
Jason Schwartzman
American Actor
In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump into people, and take unexpected turns.
Quote examples
Ernest Hemingway
American Novelist
The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life and one is as good as the other.
Quote examples
Haim Ginott
Israeli Educator
If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.
Quote examples
Louise Gluck
American Poet
I don't live with earplugs. I don't like the spotlight - but I like overhearing conversations.
Quote examples
Cynthia Rowley
American Designer
Overhearing people's conversations about art - that's always entertaining.
Quote examples
Joan Didion
American Author
You can throw a novel into focus with one overheard line.
Quote examples
Rachel Joyce
British Author
The characters in my stories all have quite loud lives in my head. It's a relief to get them on the page. Often they come from people I've noticed or overheard - but that is only a part of them. It's only by writing that I discover who these people really are.
Quote examples
Harold Bloom
American Critic
Shakespeare will not make us better, and he will not make us worse, but he may teach us how to overhear ourselves when we talk to ourselves... he may teach us how to accept change in ourselves as in others, and perhaps even the final form of change.
Quote examples
David Whyte
English Poet
Poetry is often the art of overhearing yourself say things you didn't know you knew. It is a learned skill to force yourself to articulate your life, your present world or your possibilities for the future.
Quote examples
Helen Vendler
American Critic
I believe that poems are a score for performance by the reader, and that you become the speaking voice. You don't read or overhear the voice in the poem - you are the voice in the poem.
Quote examples
Jason Schwartzman
American Actor
In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump into people, and take unexpected turns.
Quote examples
Ernest Hemingway
American Novelist
The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life and one is as good as the other.
Quote examples
Haim Ginott
Israeli Educator
If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.
Quote examples
Louise Gluck
American Poet
I don't live with earplugs. I don't like the spotlight - but I like overhearing conversations.
Quote examples
Cynthia Rowley
American Designer
Overhearing people's conversations about art - that's always entertaining.
Quote examples
Joan Didion
American Author
You can throw a novel into focus with one overheard line.
Example 1 of 10
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