as in eavesdropped (on)
to listen to (another in private conversation)
it's not polite to listen in on other people's private conversations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listened in (on)
Verb
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Over the summer, the NTSB heard 32 hours of testimony over three days, probing virtually every detail of what could have led to the midair collision.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026 -
In total, roughly 10 shots can be heard.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On January 21st, an ICE vehicle pulled into the loading dock of the high school; in a video of the incident, taken from a classroom window, students can be overheard in a hubbub of jeering, incredulity, and fear.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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Unbeknownst to Whitaker, Robby had popped his head into the room and overheard everything.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Where are onramp traffic meters monitored?—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Police units, including some with riot shields and gas masks, monitored the gathering from a distance but there were no clashes or unrest.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In October, a resident of View Park-Windsor Hills, an unincorporated neighborhood in West Los Angeles, spied a man descending into a manhole and called police.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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Idling along the road one day for a lunch break, Campos spied someone building houses.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Listened in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listened%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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