listen in (on)

as in to eavesdrop (on)
to listen to (another in private conversation) it's not polite to listen in on other people's private conversations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for listen in (on)
Verb
  • Beyond the novelty aspect of hearing an entire album played live that’s never been heard onstage, Ball feels there’s a reason Exposure still resonates.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
  • Now, McIlroy says that his daughter had one thought after hearing the loud cheers from the crowd.
    Hannah Sacks, People.com, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • The path forward is all about monitoring, as the recurrence rate is 90 percent.
    Rachel DeSantis, People.com, 1 May 2025
  • It can be used to screen for prostate cancer or monitor the disease’s progression, but some risks and limitations have been noted.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Here’s what to know about the spying scandal that rocked America; one that wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of another show releasing a new season the same week, Black Mirror.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Another case is the ongoing, high-profile trial of Alice Guo, a former mayor accused of spying for China and maintaining ties to online scam syndicates linked to human trafficking and other criminal activities.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Saving Country Music website tells the story of his big career break, reporting that, during a teenage spell in jail, Rodriguez was overheard singing by a park ranger who mentioned him to a local music promoter.
    Caroline Frost, Deadline, 10 May 2025
  • That is, the book had to be overheard in order to have something to say.
    Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 6 May 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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Listen in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listen%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 15 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!