overhead
/ˌəʊ.vəˈhed/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A cost or expense needed to run a business or project, besides the direct cost of making something.
- We must reduce our overhead.
- Rent is a big overhead for small shops.
adjective
Located above your head or attached to a ceiling or roof.
- There is an overhead light in the room.
- The train has overhead storage.
adverb
Above your head or in the sky.
- A plane flew overhead.
- I heard birds singing overhead.
Adinary Nuance
Overhead is often used when you mean extra costs that are not part of making the product directly. Words like costs or expenses are broader, but overhead points to indirect running costs such as rent, power, and admin. In speech, it is common in business and work talks, so it sounds more specific than everyday expense.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chi phí gián tiếp
- Spanish
- gastos generales
- Chinese
- 间接成本
- Japanese
- 間接費
- Korean
- 간접비
Etymology
Overhead comes from Old English words meaning “over” and “head.” It has been used in English for many centuries, first for things above you and later for business costs.
Common phrases
overhead costsoverhead expensesoverhead lightoverhead projector
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is overhead the same as expense?
- Not exactly. Expense is a general word, while overhead means indirect business costs.
- Is overhead used in business writing?
- Yes. It is very common in business, finance, and management writing.
- Can overhead mean something above me?
- Yes. It can describe something in the air or fixed above your head.
- Is overhead formal or informal?
- It is neutral, but the business meaning is more formal than everyday speech.