overhead

American  

[oh-ver-hed, oh-ver-hed] / ˈoʊ vərˈhɛd, ˈoʊ vərˌhɛd /

adverb

1. over one's head; aloft; up in the air or sky, especially near the zenith.

   There was a cloud overhead.

2. so as to be completely submerged or deeply involved.

   to plunge overhead in water; to sink overhead in debt.

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adjective

1. situated, operating, or passing above, aloft, or over the head.

   an overhead sprinkler system.

2. of or relating to the general cost of running a business.

   overhead expenses; an overhead charge.

noun

1. the general, fixed cost of running a business, as rent, lighting, and heating expenses, which cannot be charged or attributed to a specific product or part of the work operation.

2. Accounting. that part of manufacturing costs for which cost per unit produced is not readily assignable.

3. (in a hoistway) the distance between the last floor level served and the beam supporting the hoisting sheaves or machinery.

4. (in racket sports) a stroke in which the ball or shuttlecock is hit with a downward motion from above the head; smash.

5. an overhead compartment, shelf, etc..

   Pillows are in the overhead above each passenger's seat.

6. Also called overhead shot.  Movies, Television. a shot in which the camera is positioned above the actors, especially directly overhead.

7. a ceiling light in a room.

   Turn off the overheads when you leave.

8. Also called overhead projector.  a projector capable of projecting images above and behind the person operating it, thus allowing a lecturer or speaker to remain facing the audience while using it.

9. Also called overhead projection.  a picture or image projected in this manner.

   a lecture enhanced with overheads.

overhead British  

adjective

1. situated or operating above head height or some other reference level

2. (prenominal) inclusive

   the overhead price included meals

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adverb

1. over or above head height, esp in the sky

noun

1. 1. a stroke in racket games played from above head height

   2. ( as modifier )

      an overhead smash

2. nautical the interior lining above one's head below decks in a vessel

3. short for overhead door

4. (modifier) of, concerned with, or resulting from overheads

   overhead costs

overhead Cultural  

1. All costs of running a business other than wages paid to production workers or payments for raw material to be used in production. Overhead includes the cost of renting or leasing a store in which business is transacted, the cost of heating a factory, and similar expenses.

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Other Word Forms

• nonoverhead noun

Etymology

Origin of overhead

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at over-, head

Explanation

Anything that's located above you is overhead — it’s literally over your head. An overhead compartment on an airplane is a good place to stash your carry-on suitcase. Overhead is also the money it takes to run a business. Overhead works as both an adjective and an adverb: "An overhead view of the football field gives the spectators a better idea of the game, and a drone flying overhead is the perfect way to achieve it." There's also an overhead stroke in tennis, an overhead projector showing a movie in science class, and the overhead, or up-front expenses, that a new business requires.

Example Sentences

Police swarmed the Washington Hilton Hotel where the event was taking place, and helicopters hovered overhead.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

But they’ll be busy, befitting the millions of dollars in overhead they represent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The artifacts — yellowing parchment with slight marks of stress at the edges and an intricately detailed stone tablet — are almost luminous under dim overhead lights at the exhibit.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Down go the lights inside Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, an overhead galaxy replaced by darkness.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Hidden away during the daytime, huddled together inside some shed or barn, we had heard and sometimes seen fighter planes flying low overhead, but we were safe from them, always well out of sight.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Related Words

• aerial
• atop
• skyward
• upward