will be overheard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "will be overheard" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that is likely to be heard by others, often unintentionally or without the speaker's awareness. Example: "During the meeting, sensitive information will be overheard if we don't close the door."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Won't talk about their hobby at the office, but will be overheard arranging rides.

The New York Times

Greenwald, fearing he will be overheard, writes the details on scraps of paper.

The Guardian

But how good is anyone's decision-making after working over 12 hours?" Sally looks around, concerned that she will be overheard.

Independent

Even business travelers turned off by airport delays are driving to out-of-town meetings in relatively roomy RV's, where they don't have to worry that their discussions will be overheard by a competitor across the aisle.

The New York Times - Travel

The attacker gains information from the VM's migrating memory (e.g., passwords, keys, application data, capturing packets that are already authenticated, messages that have sensitive data will be overheard, etc).

Journal of Cloud Computing

They're doing a big demonstration of the MUST for the House and Senate next Thursday, at which many Representatives will be overheard to say "couldn't it go a little faster?" And Terrahawk will respond "well, right now your options are taking two days to build a guard tower, or two minutes to put one of our things up".

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Being American, I have quite a loud voice (it's not my fault, it's a national disability) and one of the many things I like about travelling abroad is that I can talk at my normal volume without worries that I'll be overheard by strangers.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Please remember: your safety, and your children's safety, is top priority so please make these phone calls where you will not be overheard and preferably from someone else's phone so your call history cannot be accessed.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Ask her or him to come to a place where the two of you will not be overheard.

WikiHow

Any adolescent following you won't want to be overheard, so they'll go away.

WikiHow

"Not being concrete is the best way to be overheard, or worse, to receive flowery expressions of support that will not turn into actions," he writes. .

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "will be overheard" when indicating a future possibility or expectation that a conversation or statement might be heard by unintended listeners. Consider the context and potential privacy concerns.

Common error

Avoid using "will be overheard" excessively in formal documents where a more direct statement, such as "may be heard", would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "will be overheard" functions as a passive construction indicating a future possibility. It suggests that a conversation or statement is likely to be heard by unintended listeners. Ludwig AI confirms this usage as correct and provides examples across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "will be overheard" is a grammatically correct passive construction that indicates a future possibility or expectation that something will be heard unintentionally. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It's commonly used in news, science, and wiki contexts to warn or inform about potential privacy concerns. While relatively uncommon, understanding its function and context is important for effective communication. Remember to use it when there is a clear likelihood of a conversation being heard by unintended listeners, and consider more direct alternatives for formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might be overheard

Expresses a possibility of being overheard, similar to "will be overheard" but with less certainty.

could be overheard

Indicates a potential for being overheard, implying a conditional possibility.

is likely to be overheard

Highlights the probability of someone overhearing the conversation.

may be overheard

Suggests a possibility of being overheard.

runs the risk of being overheard

Emphasizes the potential negative consequence of being overheard.

is susceptible to being overheard

Focuses on the vulnerability of the conversation to eavesdropping.

can be easily overheard

Highlights the ease with which the conversation could be overheard.

is apt to be overheard

Suggests a natural tendency or likelihood of being overheard.

is liable to be overheard

Implies a legal or probable consequence of being overheard.

is subject to being overheard

Indicates that the conversation is under the control or influence of being overheard.

FAQs

How can I use "will be overheard" in a sentence?

Use "will be overheard" to indicate a future possibility of someone unintentionally hearing a conversation. For example, "Sensitive information "will be overheard" if we speak too loudly in the office".

What are some alternatives to "will be overheard"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "might be heard", "could be heard", or "may be heard".

Is there a difference between "will be overheard" and "is overheard"?

"Will be overheard" refers to a future event or possibility, while "is overheard" refers to something that is happening in the present. For example, "The discussion "is overheard" by a nearby colleague" (present) vs. "The discussion "will be overheard" if we don't move to a private room" (future).

When should I use "will be overheard" instead of "may be overheard"?

"Will be overheard" suggests a higher degree of certainty or likelihood compared to "may be overheard". Use "will" when the situation strongly suggests it's likely to happen, and "may" when it's just a possibility. For example, "If the microphone is left on, private conversations "will be overheard"" (high likelihood) vs. "If the door is left ajar, snippets of the conversation "may be overheard"" (lower likelihood).