overhear
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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As I reviewed Tuesday’s events at a bar near Altman’s home in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood, I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
Further along the footpath around the old dock, I overhear an American accent.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2025
I regularly overhear other birders marveling over the flashy warblers in breeding plumage, while overlooking other comparatively less-flashy birds like vireos and sparrows.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2025
Sometimes because both my parents and Lucia’s parents have come during shooting to help because we have a new kid, sometimes they’ll overhear something and be like, “That’s funny.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2024
“I’m sorry, Redemption,” she said, whispering so her parents wouldn’t step out and overhear.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
Nearby, 40-year-old Masoumeh overhears our conversation and joins in.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
It is she who ensures Heathcliff overhears Cathy as she laments how marrying him would degrade her, causing him to flee Wuthering Heights and leave Cathy to marry Edgar.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
When she overhears a man clearing his throat, the jig is up.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2023
All seems idyllic — until the day Beth, approaching her husband and brother-in-law in a store, overhears Don saying that he doesn’t like her new novel at all, but he can’t tell her.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2023
Three days later, Madame Fontineau overhears that the German garrison commander is allergic to goldenrod.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
The actors speak quietly, as if fearful of being overheard, whether or not there is anyone around to hear, and often regard one another with pained or stunned expressions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
Mr. Wade calls this process of inheritance “catching,” the transmission of a tune without formal notation or instruction, overheard once and absorbed by musicians who may now be little remembered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
She only learned about the reintroduction plan after asking rangers about discussions she had overheard.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
One local, wearing a traffic cone hat was overheard saying he was "totally bummed" his kilt didn't arrive in time.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
That's when she overheard a very disturbing conversation.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
The court heard that Morgan had been deemed a "high risk to others and to himself" after overhearing conversations that took place since he has been in custody.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
A tipster in the southern U.S. recalled overhearing a conversation that seemed to connect a local woman to the pipe bombs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
“Kids are often being exposed to these topics anyway, through their peers, the media and overhearing conversations,” said Wenner Moyer.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2024
But is there possibly anything more ferociously rock ’em-sock ’em than an author overhearing her husband say he doesn’t like her latest book?
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2024
Once I had seen my mother shudder on overhearing him expound to a group of ladies on the mating posture of order Opiliones, or daddy longlegs.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
