listen in (on)

verb

Definition of listen in (on)next
as in to eavesdrop (on)
to listen to (another in private conversation) it's not polite to listen in on other people's private conversations

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for listen in (on)
  1. hear
  2. monitor
  3. spy
  4. overhear
Verb
  • The Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear a case about the role race plays in middle school admissions, three years after a majority on the high court struck down affirmative action in college.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Trying to exonerate herself, Erin lays out this confusing defense about how her makeup guy heard about Sai’s divorce at a beauty event.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hear
Verb
  • The department under President Biden monitored 64 jurisdictions in 24 states on Election Day in the last midterm year, 2022.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For all its tests, the company builds realistic simulated environments, red teams these environments itself and with third parties to see whether they can be escaped, and monitors what agents do.
    — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of monitor
Verb
  • The actress provided the voice of a technologically advanced, data-spying smart refrigerator.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Set the scene Eagle-eyed arrivals will first spy the new Six Senses across the improbably blue waters of northern Ibiza’s Cala Xarraca.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of spy
Verb
  • The pair gets into their first major relationship discussion when Sarah overhears John getting frustrated with a customer-service person from his electric company.
    — Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • After weeks of overhearing the outbursts, O'Connor and his wife compiled their own top 10 list of Torn's most memorable lines.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of overhear
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

listening (to)
listen in (on)
listens
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Listen in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listen%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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