eavesdrop (on)

Definition of eavesdrop (on)next
as in to listen in (on)
to listen to (another in private conversation) a nosy traveler who likes to eavesdrop on his fellow airline passengers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eavesdrop (on)
Verb
  • China has deployed its own GPS satellite network and a constellation of intelligence-gathering satellites to monitor locations around the world and, if necessary, supply targeting information for a military attack.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The park says wildlife managers actively monitor bear activity and use proactive techniques that help keep bears within their natural home range and away from humans and developed areas.
    Devarrick Turner, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Behind the table was an orchestra, barely playing loud enough to hear.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Guests went diving under tables as the scene unfolded and some reported hearing shots outside the vast subterranean ballroom in the Washington Hilton where the event was being held.
    Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • For years, the rover ascended a feature called Mount Sharp within the crater, aiming to reach clay-rich layers that orbiters circling the planet had spied.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
  • And then head out to spy for local birds and native plants at the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley where San Fernando Valley Audubon Society keeps a watchful eye to maintain its vibrancy.
    Daily News, Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • For creator Lee Sung Jin, the inspiration came from overhearing a heated dispute inside a couple’s home.
    Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The calls, according to people who overheard them, were not always amicable.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eavesdrop (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eavesdrop%20%28on%29. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster