listen in

verb

listened in; listening in; listens in

intransitive verb

1
: to tune in to or monitor a broadcast
2
: to listen to a conversation without participating in it
especially : eavesdrop
listener-in
ˌli-sᵊn-ər-ˈin How to pronounce listen in (audio)
ˌlis-nər-
noun

Examples of listen in in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The subject of the the latest Free Press Flashback, a weekly history feature, wowed anyone who would listen in Detroit and Ann Arbor with his amazing recall of historical facts. Michael Jackman, Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024 Robin, listening in, reasoned that someone had broken into Steve’s parents’ home to hold them up for a little cash. Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2024 To learn more from Joon, listen in on our full conversation here! Joanne Chen, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Lee wanted to provide a statement and listen in to discuss Cuban entrepreneurship, ways to support human rights in Cuba and reinvigorating U.S. relations with Cuba, her office said. Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2024 This year, Republican lawmakers mostly listened in silence. The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024 The husband of a former BP executive has pleaded guilty to securities fraud after allegedly listening in on his wife's work conversations, federal officials say. Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2024 But by mistake, a small group of journalists, including from The Washington Post, were able to listen in on the session because the audio headsets continued broadcasting the remarks, unbeknownst to the Brazilian hosts. John Hudson, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024 Watch and listen in to hear how the crew analyzed the deal in real time. Detroit Free Press, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'listen in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of listen in was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near listen in

Cite this Entry

“Listen in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20in. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

listen in

verb
1
: to listen to a broadcast
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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