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
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Rachel contacted Shelia while FBI agents monitored the conversation using hidden cameras.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026 -
The second method is installing below-ground bait systems every 10 to 20 feet around a building; the stations are monitored regularly for activity.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Warplanes could be heard flying low overhead.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he was heard cursing throughout the show, however the BBC failed to censor the N-word during its broadcast, causing further harm.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Returning late from the PBR event to find downtown kitchens largely dark, the hotel lobby bar server overheard that my partner and I were starving.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
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In the hallway during an afternoon break, two jurors could be overheard comparing their own less-than-stellar interactions with their children to an episode in which Karen pulled over on the side of the highway and told Kaley to get out of the car.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But there’s no snow on the 101 Freeway near Thousand Oaks — which might come as a surprise to those who spied an errant travel alert from the California Department of Transportation.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
18 Feb. 2026
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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 Mar. 2026.
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