How to Use overhear in a Sentence

overhear

verb
  • They were overheard discussing the project.
  • I overheard a rumor about you.
  • She overheard what her boss said to his secretary.
  • June overhears all of this and is mad at Jolyon.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Somehow the staff overheard us.
    — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • And then calling him late last night, when his wife might have overheard, what was that about?
    — Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
  • That is, the book had to be overheard in order to have something to say.
    — Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 6 May 2025
  • Neither of them see Seema, who overhears all.
    — Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 26 Sep. 2025
  • One evening, her two brothers overheard and told their parents.
    — Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2023
  • Fred, overhearing this while standing on the stairs, shakes his head.
    — Amy Watts, baltimoresun.com, 28 Apr. 2017
  • The inmate claimed the whole wing overheard the exchange.
    — Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Kizer – their father – was on the phone with her and overheard parts of the spat.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Kizer – their father – was on the phone with her and overheard parts of the spat.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
  • One of my mom’s friends overheard people talking about me in a salon.
    — The Cut, 20 July 2017
  • Ooohs and ahhhs were overheard when the below looks made their way down the runway.
    — Sarah Bray, Town & Country, 24 Apr. 2015
  • He was overheard saying, ‘What?
    — Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Toni Cranston was at the repair shop and overheard their predicament.
    — Autumn Barnes, NPR, 25 Nov. 2024
  • Some cheers and laughs could be overheard from the GOP side of the floor.
    — Savannah Behrmann, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2019
  • Steve exchanged looks with Andrea, who sat close enough to overhear.
    — Allegra Goodman, The New Yorker, 18 Jan. 2021
  • But the reenactors overheard her concern and didn’t miss a beat.
    — Jordan Greene, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • But the comments weren't caught on camera or overheard by bystanders.
    — Dakin Andone, CNN, 20 June 2019
  • Dogs also learned new object names by overhearing them.
    — Liz Regalia, Parents, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Mary couldn't help but overhear Whitney's comment, and called her out in front of the group.
    — Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE.com, 19 Dec. 2021
  • Another customer overheard this and walked up and asked the child what the issue was.
    — Nina Mandell, USA TODAY, 28 Sep. 2017
  • Walk up to any bar and you're bound to overhear someone ordering this simple go-to.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Linna overheard, and signed Archie & The Bunkers on the spot.
    — Joey Morona, cleveland.com, 14 Feb. 2018
  • Some overheard gossip reveals itself as just the tip of the iceberg.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2024
  • Her husband overheard the comment and looked puzzled.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
  • In the show, Colin doesn’t see that Penelope has overheard him.
    — Kari Sonde, TIME, 16 May 2024
  • Take, for example, the time a staff member overheard a child’s love for word searches.
    — Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overhear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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