wiretap

verb wire·tap \ ˈwī(-ə)r-ˌtap \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of wiretap

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

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
Three and half months after agents began listening in on Dougherty’s cell phone, the FBI obtained court approval to wiretap the city councilman and Crawford.

— chris brennan, Philly.com, "For more than a year, FBI wiretapped labor leader John Dougherty, councilman Bobby Henon," 26 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

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

She was recorded on an FBI wiretap helping to sabotage a peace initiative during the Vietnam War in order to promote Nixon’s victory over Vice President Hubert Humphrey in the 1968 presidential election.

— kansascity, "Final Chapters for April 8, 2018: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Steven Bochco | The Kansas City Star," 7 Apr. 2018
That led to accusations, backed by wiretap evidence, that Mr. Nixon used her to encourage Mr. Thieu to stall on peace talks, dimming prospects for a breakthrough that might have helped Democratic nominee Hubert Humphrey win the election.

— james r. hagerty, WSJ, "Anna Chennault Bridged East and West but Wasn’t Always Appreciated," 6 Apr. 2018
Last year, The Chicago Tribune obtained FBI wiretaps that captured Pritzker asking Blagojevich for an appointment as Illinois treasurer.

— kaitlyn schallhorn, Fox News, "Illinois governor race pits Bruce Rauner against JB Pritzker: What to know about the election," 21 Mar. 2018
Although the Bettencourt case was later dropped, prosecutors say police wiretaps picked up a conversation between Sarkozy, using the alias Paul Bismuth, and a senior judge, Gilbert Azibert, in which the job offer was allegedly made.

— kim willsher, latimes.com, "Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces trial on charges of corruption and influence peddling," 29 Mar. 2018
Last month, a recording from an FBI wiretap of him and then-governor Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted in 2010 on public corruption charges, emerged in which Pritzker can be heard speaking disparagingly of black politicians.

— aamer madhani, USA TODAY, "Illinois Democrats wage brutal, pricey primary fight in governor's race," 15 Mar. 2018
Yet only one of them was ever subject to a wiretap.

— chris white, The Courier-Journal, "Were Rick Pitino's calls with an Adidas executive recorded?," 10 Mar. 2018
The memo alleges that senior FBI and Justice officials abused their power and used a contested dossier on Trump to secure a warrant from a foreign-intelligence court to wiretap Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser.

— author: philip rucker, robert costa, Anchorage Daily News, "Once the party of law and order, Republicans are now challenging it," 4 Feb. 2018
The memo alleges that senior FBI and Justice officials abused their power and used a contested dossier on Trump to secure a warrant from a foreign-intelligence court to wiretap Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser.

— philip rucker, Washington Post, "Once the party of law and order, Republicans are now challenging it," 3 Feb. 2018