overhearing

verb

present participle of overhear
as in hearing
to listen to (another in private conversation) it's not polite to try to overhear intimate friends sharing confidences

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overhearing Digging a bit deeper, the study determined that while 57% of respondents would be creeped out by someone shoulder-surfing their screens, only 43% had a similar worry about people overhearing phone conversations. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 We weren’t allowed to leave the room to prevent anyone from overhearing our conversations and perhaps posting [the questions] on the Internet. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026 But despite getting back together in season two, the finale ended on a cliffhanger of Alex overhearing Jackie confess her love to his brother Cole. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026 The last season ended with Alex overhearing Cole’s dramatic love confession to Jackie and a cliffhanger about patriarch George’s health. — Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026 Muraki admitted overhearing her comments about the home but denied handing a note during their first meeting. — Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026 The episode ends with Teddy getting a voicemail from Owen and overhearing a bridge collapse and car crash that may be fatal. — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 May 2026 Another resident reported frequently overhearing arguing coming from the apartment. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026 The only real threat is a whistleblower, like an outcast kid overhearing the whole criminal scheme from the floor below his mother’s office. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overhearing
  1. hearing
  2. spying
  3. monitoring
  4. snooping
Verb
  • The Supreme Court will open its new term Monday by hearing arguments on whether the oil and gas industry may be forced to pay damages for the scorching heat waves, wildfires and droughts that are blamed on climate change.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The controller was having trouble hearing the pilots and asked them to repeat their messages, including altitude, several times, according to the audio.
    — Anselm Gibbs, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of hearing
Verb
  • The statement did not reveal who the two men were suspected of spying for.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Realtor accused of spying for China caught at LAX trying to leave US.
    — , FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of spying
Verb
  • Controlling and monitoring individual cells has also illuminated neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's and epilepsy.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The system is meant to give monitoring capabilities to prevent the agents from exceeding the authority they’ve been given.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of monitoring
Verb
  • An alcoholic drink will give you a buzz, but if someone laced it with something dangerous, a new poison-snooping patch will buzz your skin to warn you.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Cady had injected some narcotic into a Georgia peach to knock Natalie out ahead of his confrontation with Crystal on the houseboat, but Ray snooping around on the Bowdens’s behalf led to this deadly improvisation.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Definition of snooping

Browse Nearby Words

overheard
overhearing
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Cite this Entry

“Overhearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overhearing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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