voice-over
Americannoun
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the voice of an offscreen narrator, announcer, or the like.
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a televised sequence, as in a commercial, using such a voice.
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any offscreen voice, as that of a character in a narrative.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of voice-over
First recorded in 1945–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Longet’s last known public appearance was in 2003 on the A&E channel’s Andy Williams “Biography” documentary, in which she recorded only voice-over.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
In the early years of television, voice-over introductions to shows and their casts were a necessity of the medium.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2026
Inspired by the popularity of the Japanese “Iron Chef” broadcast with an English voice-over, Food Network created an American adaptation, “Iron Chef America,” which premiered in 2005 and continued until 2018.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
A voice-over tells me that it was Alexander, a grandfather, who painted the door red.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
A voice-over tells the audience what they are viewing as we try to regroup, react to the black gel shooting from the street, lose control of the situation.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Bagel Brands has used AI to create voice-overs for ads and poll customers who volunteered to try a new product.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 23, 2025
He’s had nearly every behind-the-scenes gig on the Knott’s Elvira show from audio tech, to programming giant old stacks of TVs, to graphics and voice-overs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2024
Such was the authority in his voice, James Earl Jones became a stalwart of commercial voice-overs, documentaries and computer games.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2024
In a series of voice-overs, he and others describe the importance of the dance club the Warehouse, where people discovered freedom through movement and found their chosen families.
From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2024
Mimicking the deep-voiced passion of commercial voice-overs, she said, “It’s small, it’s slow, and it’s shitty, but it runs. Sometimes. Blue Citrus: See Your Local Used-Car Dealer.”
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
