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 

ˌlis-nər-

noun

Synonyms of listen in

• eavesdrop (on)
• hear
• monitor
• spy
• overhear

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

Dinners, too, got better, healthier, with the ability to take chicken out of the freezer day-of, wash and prep veggies while listening in on a meeting, or quickly run to the store for an ingredient. —Rachel Wallace, Architectural Digest, 22 Dec. 2025

The SmartLess appearance would be something of a reunion, or at least a chance to reconnect with an old friend, albeit with a few million fans listening in. —Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 18 Dec. 2025

And not even the offering, even changing the product, suggesting and then the ability to listen in real time, the ability to respond in real time to give customers tools to play around. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025

See our rankings below or listen in this week’s podcast episode. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

listen in

verb

1

: to listen to a broadcast

2

: eavesdrop