fly-on-the-wall
adjective
ˈflī-ȯn-ṯẖə-ˈwȯl 
-än-
: having or involving an inconspicuous but effective point of observation
fly-on-the-wall observations of aspects of daily life—
Will Manley
Will ManleyExamples of fly-on-the-wall in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The picture thus combines the excitement of an old-school disaster spectacle with a fly-on-the-wall portrait of institutions struggling to function in the face of a calamity.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
This latest Venice premiere is definitely a work of fragments, isolated scenes that amount to a fly-on-the-wall view of Lucius but are not meant to create a traditional narrative, or for the pieces to fit together as neatly as a jigsaw puzzle.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
His leadership role stood out in a recent six-part documentary series released by the club on YouTube, Sans jamais rien lacher (Never Give Up), which gave viewers a fly-on-the-wall perspective on De Zerbi’s first season in the dug-out.
—Tom Williams, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
The show was conceived as a spiritual (but not official) successor to The Osbournes, the anarchic fly-on-the-wall series that aired on MTV between 2002 and 2005.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
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Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
This latest Venice premiere is definitely a work of fragments, isolated scenes that amount to a fly-on-the-wall view of Lucius but are not meant to create a traditional narrative, or for the pieces to fit together as neatly as a jigsaw puzzle.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
His leadership role stood out in a recent six-part documentary series released by the club on YouTube, Sans jamais rien lacher (Never Give Up), which gave viewers a fly-on-the-wall perspective on De Zerbi’s first season in the dug-out.
—Tom Williams, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
The show was conceived as a spiritual (but not official) successor to The Osbournes, the anarchic fly-on-the-wall series that aired on MTV between 2002 and 2005.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fly-on-the-wall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fly-on-the-wall. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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