eavesdropped (on)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eavesdropped (on)
Verb
  • Researchers treated 12-month-old mice (similar to a 60-year-old human) with the nanoparticles and monitored the animals’ behavior and memory over several months.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
  • That level of independence is rare in an industry where many are used to being tightly managed and closely monitored.
    Matt Emma, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Linda’s daughter is never identified by name, and she is often heard but seldom seen.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Screams and yells can be heard in the background while big groups of people begin to file out of the park quickly.
    Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The relative then spied a dead dog on an interstate nearby, and assumed the canine was Randy since both dogs had the same shading.
    TJ Macias, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Astronomers spied the bare black hole using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) — a mega-instrument built by NASA and its partners in part to reveal how galaxies formed during the universe’s first billion years.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Among the options the senators could be overheard discussing were a very short stopgap bill while an extension of expiring Obamacare subsidies is negotiated.
    Jamie Tarabay, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Brian continues to apologize, but Murtagh isn’t hearing it, and soon Balloch — who, by the way, overheard at least part of that conversation — beckons Brian and Murtagh back into the church.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Sep. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Eavesdropped (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eavesdropped%20%28on%29. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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