listen in
verb
listened in; listening in; listens in
1
: to tune in to or monitor a broadcast
2
: to listen to a conversation without participating in it
especially
: eavesdrop
Examples of listen in in a Sentence
it's not polite to listen in on other people's private conversations
Recent Examples on the Web
Changing out of his pads after a recent Rangers practice, Chmelař listened in as Sýkora answered a series of questions about their friendship from his nearby locker.
—
Peter Baugh, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
But deep below, vibrations ripple through the frozen plain, transmitting the movements of Earth’s tectonic plates—and scientists now have a formidable new set of tools to listen in with.
—Vanessa Bates Ramirez, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
Lori listens in dumbfounded silence, keeping her eyes on the prize, and trying not to roll them when Julian makes a comment about the dearth of great women artists—the kind of remark that earned him a close brush with cancellation in the past.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
More than 600 people listened in the park.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for listen in
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Peter Baugh, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
But deep below, vibrations ripple through the frozen plain, transmitting the movements of Earth’s tectonic plates—and scientists now have a formidable new set of tools to listen in with.
—Vanessa Bates Ramirez, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
Lori listens in dumbfounded silence, keeping her eyes on the prize, and trying not to roll them when Julian makes a comment about the dearth of great women artists—the kind of remark that earned him a close brush with cancellation in the past.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
More than 600 people listened in the park.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for listen in
Cite this Entry
“Listen in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20in. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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