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.
“Now the Waymo driver is safer than a human one,” a voice-over says, “…Not because humans aren’t enough, but because they’re everything.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
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
The tentative contract still needs to be voted on by its members — SAG-AFTRA represents more than 160,000 actors, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, stunt performers, voice-over artists and other entertainment professionals.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 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
As the documentary film moved forward, the voice-over of our dear family friend and loving “uncle” actor Ossie Davis delivered the eulogy from my father’s funeral in 1965.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
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.
