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

overheads plural

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

Derived Forms

• nonoverhead
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• overheads
  plural

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

See Examples For:

overhead overheads

Implicit in the analysts’ models is a belief that Big Tech can use AI to unlock rapid productivity gains, allowing revenue to grow much faster than overhead.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The Backrooms began with a single unsettling image posted anonymously online: a claustrophobic warren of tawdrily yellow, windowless rooms with aged carpets and harsh overhead fluorescent lights.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

His arrival was visible to those in the stadium as he was in one of three helicopters that flew overhead before doing a circuit of it and then landing.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Four-year-old Juni Wahab was entranced by the sight of the swallows and cormorants swooping low overhead and the rushing twists of water.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

Buildings towered overhead, and above them, airships buzzed across the sky.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

"As half of our overheads stem from staff costs, a theoretical calculation -- assuming no change in labour costs -- would result in the loss of around 50,000 jobs," he said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

Companies also cut back on their staffing levels amid concerns over the outlook and in response to rising overheads, notably in terms of raw material prices, the survey said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

And in this case, the marginal cost of each ticket is small – there are not even any very substantial overheads to cover, which often justify a higher price.

From Salon ● Jun. 14, 2026

This is what economists call a cost-push shock: Rising input costs work through the supply chain, lifting intermediary material costs and overheads.

From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026

I answered phones and made plasticene overheads and picked up dry cleaning and kids from day care.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• aerial
• atop
• skyward
• upward