overheard by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overheard by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that something was heard unintentionally or without the speaker's knowledge. Example: "The secret plan was accidentally overheard by a passing employee."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Quotes from conversation overheard by the writer.

The New Yorker

It is all overheard by columnists Hopper, Parsons and Skolsky.

The New Yorker

Their plans are overheard by a friend, Joe-John.

The New Yorker

There was a brief argument, overheard by neighbours.

The Guardian

"It just happened," Coogan said, loud enough to be overheard by anyone who might be listening.

The New York Times - Magazine

The next month a child under 10 was overheard by a teacher talking to her friends.

The Guardian

Igor Malashenko was at first unusually guarded, speaking as if being overheard by the new K.G.B.

The New York Times

Insignificant things saddened them: newspaper advertisements, a burgher's profile, an inane comment overheard by chance...

The New York Times - Books

Those conversations were overheard by U.S. intelligence services, The Cable has learned.

The Guardian

The government's case will be largely based on confessions by the defendants purportedly overheard by witnesses.

The New York Times

He was overheard by his estranged wife, Alexandra, who is still his constant companion.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "overheard by" to clearly indicate that information was acquired unintentionally, without the speaker's knowledge. This adds a layer of intrigue or accidental discovery to your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "overheard by" when the subject intentionally listened. The phrase implies accidental or unintentional hearing; if the listening was deliberate, use "eavesdropped on" or "listened to" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overheard by" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used in the passive voice to indicate that a conversation or piece of information was unintentionally heard by someone. As Ludwig AI shows, it commonly introduces who unintentionally gained access to spoken information.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

6%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "overheard by" is a prepositional phrase used to indicate that a conversation or piece of information was unintentionally heard. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across diverse sources, including News & Media and Science. As this analysis shows, while it’s suitable for both formal and informal writing, it is crucial to use it accurately, ensuring the listening was truly unintentional. Alternatives like "accidentally heard by" or "came to the ears of" can be used depending on the specific context. Therefore, the analysis by Ludwig AI guarantees that using the expression "overheard by" is a great choice in your content.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

accidentally heard by

Emphasizes the accidental nature of hearing the information.

unintentionally listened to by

Highlights the lack of intent in listening.

incidentally heard by

Focuses on the incidental or chance nature of the event.

chanced to be heard by

Stresses the element of chance or luck.

came to the ears of

A more formal and indirect way of saying 'was heard'.

was within earshot of

Indicates proximity that allowed for unintentional hearing.

became privy to

Suggests gaining access to secret or private information.

sounds reached the ears of

Poetic alternative, implies that specific sounds where heard.

picked up by

Implies hearing fragments of information or a conversation.

was eavesdropped on by

implies that listener was actively trying to hear conversation.

FAQs

How can I use "overheard by" in a sentence?

Use "overheard by" to indicate that someone unintentionally heard something. For example, "The secret was "overheard by" a passerby".

What's a more formal way to say "overheard by"?

A more formal alternative is "came to the ears of", as in, "The information "came to the ears of" a trusted advisor".

Is it always clear who "overheard" something, even if it's unintentional?

While "overheard by" implies unintentional listening, it's crucial to clearly specify who did the overhearing to avoid ambiguity. For instance, "The plan was "accidentally heard by" a cleaning staff member".

What is the difference between "overheard by" and "eavesdropped on by"?

"Overheard by" suggests unintentional hearing, while "eavesdropped on by" implies deliberate listening. "The conversation was "overheard by" a student walking by", but "The spies "eavesdropped on by" the foreign embassy's communications".