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

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Etymology

Origin of overhead

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

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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

This optical effect makes the Moon appear larger when it is close to the horizon than when it is high overhead, even though its actual apparent size changes very little.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026

The firm brought in a forensic accountant, who found what the first filing had left out: A lot of the company’s products had spoiled while the business was still paying its overhead, Berenji said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

Two ravens circled overhead, then flew Northwest, and on a whim I followed them.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2026

"You can hear the drones on approach and you can hear them inside your home when they pass directly overhead and then you hear them as they leave," she says.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

For more than a century, people had come to swim and camp under the firs that towered hundreds of feet overhead.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Suffering from slimmer margins on electric cars, US tariffs and above all intense Chinese competition, German carmakers have sought to cut overheads.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Other factors in price variations include the level of local competition and the location of the filling station, which may affect overheads, especially for those in remote areas.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 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

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

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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Related Words

• aerial
• atop
• skyward
• upward

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