Definition

The distance within which a person can hear sounds or voices without any special equipment.

Example

She spoke softly, knowing he was just out of earshot.

Conversation

Did you hear what they were saying about the party earlier?

No, I was too far outside of earshot to catch anything.

I thought they were planning something fun.

Yeah, I hope we can find out before it's too late!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Earshot → The word is formed from "ear" (from Old English "eare", meaning the organ of hearing) and "shot" (from Old English "sceot", meaning a distance or range). The term "earshot" refers to the distance within which a person can hear something, literally meaning the range of hearing.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'ear' as the organ that hears and 'shot' as a distance — so earshot means the distance within which you can hear.

Visually Confused Words