eavesdropping (on)

verb

Definition of eavesdropping (on)next
present participle of eavesdrop (on)
as in listening 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 eavesdropping (on)
  1. monitoring
  2. spying
  3. hearing
Verb
  • While the likes of Ossola wait patiently for their cases to be resolved, others are carefully monitoring the situation.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • With the rise of wearable technology (and a growing obsession with tracking our health), VO2 is now something many of us are monitoring.
    — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of monitoring
Verb
  • Just across the sea lie North Korea, China and Russia, which all have powerful spying capacities that Japan isn’t fully equipped to fend off.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Turkish, Asian and Chinese brands flooded in at first, spying a once-in-a-generation opportunity to hoover up prime real estate.
    — Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of spying
Verb
  • And then hearing Lane Johnson gush about Mannion’s scheme was interesting.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Veterinarians say consistency matters far more than hearing your voice.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of hearing
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

eavesdropping
eavesdropping (on)
eavesdrops (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Eavesdropping (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eavesdropping%20%28on%29. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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