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
  • Repeating that process could happen, but the front office and Taylor will be monitoring the situation closely.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Jackie, who had been monitoring the situation, later brought Sandy a fish as a reward.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of monitoring
Verb
  • He was arrested by the police and convicted of spying for a terror plot against the network.
    — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The White House instituted the ban citing the threat of foreign entities potentially spying or conducting sabotage through the robots.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of spying
Verb
  • People hearing those stories—attorneys, reporters, healthcare workers or friends—may expect a clearer, linear narrative.
    — Michele Patterson Ford, Scientific American, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Up until that point, all of my recordings were just me and my guitar, so hearing the drums and the extra vocals blew my mind.
    — Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 22 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 29 Aug. 2026.

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