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Overhear for Dummies

verb

pronunciation: ,oʊvər'hir

What does Overhear really mean?

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Hey there! No worries, I'm here to help you understand the meaning of the word "overhear." So, have you ever been in a situation where you were minding your own business, but then you accidentally caught bits and pieces of a conversation happening nearby? Well, that's basically what "overhear" means!

When we say someone "overhears" something, it means that they accidentally hear a conversation or a piece of information without actually intending to. It's like when you walk by your teacher and you catch a snippet of their conversation with another student without meaning to eavesdrop. It's kind of like your ears are secretly picking up on the words without your permission!

To further grasp the idea, imagine you're at a busy park with lots of people talking. As you're waiting in line for ice cream, you can't help but notice that a group of kids nearby are talking about something exciting. Even though you're not directly involved in their conversation, you inadvertently hear some of their words because the sound just happens to reach your ears. That's basically what "overhearing" is all about.

Now, it's important to note that "overhear" can have a couple of different meanings. It can simply refer to accidentally hearing something, like in the examples I gave you earlier. But it can also mean secretly hearing something that you were not meant to hear. It's like being a silent observer to a private conversation, even though you didn't ask or intend to be.

Imagine you're in the library, working on your math homework, when suddenly you hear your two best friends quietly whispering about a surprise party they're planning for you. They didn't mean for you to hear, but since you were seated nearby and their whispers carried, you couldn't help but overhear their little secret. So "overhear" can mean both accidentally hearing something and secretly hearing something.

I hope this explanation helped clarify the meaning of "overhear" for you, using easy and not complex words. Now you know that it's like picking up on a conversation by accident or hearing something secretly that you weren't supposed to hear. Keep in mind, though, that while overhearing can be interesting, it's always important to respect people's privacy and not intentionally listen in on private conversations.

Revised and Fact checked by Ava Hernandez on 2023-10-29 14:45:37

Overhear In a sentece

Learn how to use Overhear inside a sentece

  • When you are talking on the phone and your mom is in the next room, she might overhear your conversation.
  • Sometimes when you are in a restaurant, you can overhear people at the next table talking.
  • If you whisper something to your friend in class, the person sitting behind you might overhear what you said.
  • If you are playing a game with your friends and you speak loudly, someone passing by might overhear your strategy.
  • When you are watching a movie in the theater, you might overhear people laughing or talking during the funny parts.

Overhear Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Overhear Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.