as in eavesdropping (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 listening in (on)
Verb
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Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
13 Apr. 2026 -
The 30-year refinance rate has pulled back noticeably from last week, which could change the calculus for homeowners who've been monitoring the market but haven't yet pulled the trigger.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Parents rushed to the school in Kahramanmaras’ Onikisubat district after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Parents rushed to the school after hearing reports of an armed attack, NTV television reported, adding that police took security measures around the school.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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John offers to marry Claire to protect her when the British Army wants to arrest her for spying.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
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Mizan also reported that Iran executed a man on charges of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Haley began making the octopi after overhearing a nurse saying some would be helpful in the NICU.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 2026
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The internal monologue is perhaps the more obvious choice for paranoid fiction, but by writing in dialogue, Dorfman puts us in the place of the listener with an ear pressed to a closed door, overhearing the anxious voices.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Listening in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listening%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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