wiretap

verb wire·tap \ ˈwī(-ə)r-ˌtap \

|Updated on: 9 Aug 2018

Examples: wiretap in a Sentence

Definition of wiretap

wiretapped; wiretapping; wiretaps

intransitive verb

: to tap a telephone or telegraph wire or cellular signal in order to get information

transitive verb

: to tap the telephone of

See wiretap defined for English-language learners

See wiretap defined for kids

Examples of wiretap in a Sentence

The FBI wiretapped his phone.

Recent Examples of wiretap from the Web

Specifically, Republican lawmakers have asserted that the FBI misused a secret surveillance court to get approval to wiretap former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

— kevin johnson, USA TODAY, "Justice inspector general opens probe of possible surveillance abuses in Russia election case," 28 Mar. 2018
The document offers a new timeline of wiretap orders in the case based on Dawkins' request for the recordings to be thrown out because an April 7 order to wiretap his phone was missing the name of the official who authorized it.

— chris white, The Courier-Journal, "Were Rick Pitino's calls with an Adidas executive recorded?," 10 Mar. 2018
The investigation began when DEA agents bought heroin from one of the men in September 2017 and a federal judge gave the agency permission to wiretap the defendants, a statement from U.S. Attorney Ben Glassman said.

— sarah brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "Feds: Butler County heroin ring was sending drug money to Mexico," 1 Feb. 2018
Some believe Trump’s Twitter account has jolted sensibilities so often — from ghastly attacks on cable talking heads Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski to baseless accusations about Trump Tower wiretaps — that outlandish is the new reigning norm.

— kyle swenson, Washington Post, "Trump’s Hillary Clinton tweet: Does it violate Twitter’s rules on violence?," 18 Sep. 2017
In 2015, Macedonia’s conservative government was accused of using the national security services to wiretap up to 20,000 people for its own political gain.

— sarah wilson sokhey, Washington Post, "This is why the West should pay attention to the drama in Macedonia," 29 May 2017
One of the recordings released after a fight with Congress and the courts revealed the president’s involvement in attempts to stymie an investigation into an attempt to wiretap the Democratic National Committee.

— chris strohm, Bloomberg.com, "White House Refuses to Say Whether Trump Tapes Conversations," 12 May 2017
There are transcripts of a conversation in at least one phone call, recorded by American intelligence agencies that wiretap foreign diplomats, which may determine Mr. Flynn’s future.

— david e. sanger, eric schmitt and peter baker, New York Times, "Turmoil at the National Security Council, From the Top Down," 12 Feb. 2017
Investigators from a Drug Enforcement Task Force began their probe of the organization using buys and wiretaps stemming back to October 2016, a criminal complaint filed by a DEA task force member read.

— nicholas rondinone, courant.com, "Months-Long Drug Operation Nets 20 Kilos Heroin, Fentanyl Largely Packaged For Streets," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wiretap.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of wiretap

1918

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

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wiretap

noun

Definition of wiretap

1 : the act or an instance of wiretapping

2 : an electrical connection for wiretapping

See wiretap defined for English-language learners

Examples of wiretap in a Sentence

Federal agents put a wiretap on his phone.
Investigators listened to the wiretaps for clues about the suspect's whereabouts.

Recent Examples of wiretap from the Web

Prosecutors would usually need a search warrant to gain access to a suspect’s mail and special authorization from a judge for a wiretap to listen in on their phone calls.

— ian duncan, baltimoresun.com, "Prosecutors seek access to Capital Gazette shooting suspect's jail mail; his lawyer says that violates his rights," 12 July 2018
Former Shin Bet security agency Director Yoram Cohen denied a report suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked him to wiretap two senior security officials in 2011.

— ariel kahana, Jewish Journal, "Ex-Shin Bet chief denies reports prime minister ordered wiretaps," 4 June 2018
The New York Times reported that a wiretap caught Spitzer arranging to pay thousands of dollars to Emperor's Club VIP, an exclusive prostitution service.

— john bacon, USA TODAY, "Sex scandals in N.Y.: Spitzer, Weiner and now Attorney General Eric Schneiderman," 8 May 2018
The bottom line remains, team Obama spied on the Trump campaign using wiretaps and moles with no clear justification.

— Fox News, "Ann Coulter on the status of Trump's immigration agenda," 20 May 2018
People questioned the ethics of an AI that pretended to be human, wiretap laws were called into question, and some even questioned if the demo was faked.

— ron amadeo, Ars Technica, "Talking to Google Duplex: Google’s human-like phone AI feels revolutionary," 27 June 2018
Ultimately, the recordings from that wiretap and others became part of the evidence used to prosecute the bosses of the Kansas City mob, brothers Nick and Carl Civella, and 10 other mob figures indicted in 1981 in the Tropicana skimming operation.

— ian cummings, robert a. cronkleton and matt campbell, kansascity, "Demolished hotel played part in Kansas City mob history, 1970s Las Vegas casino case," 24 June 2018
Using wiretaps and witness testimony, the Drug Enforcement Administration built a case against Valdez-Villareal resulting in the seizure of 100 kilograms of cocaine and $4 million.

— eliott c. mclaughlin, CNN, "Drug lord 'La Barbie' sentenced to 49 years in federal prison," 11 June 2018
Law enforcement officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the search was based on conversations intercepted through surveillance,wiretaps and listening devices in the three City Council offices.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "May 15, 2003: FBI RAIDS CITY HALL," 15 May 2018