LISTENING IN (ON) Synonyms: 15 Similar Words

listening in (on)

verb

present participle of listen in (on)

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

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for listening in (on)

Verb

So are your baby monitor, garage door opener, your GPS, the weather-monitoring satellites and the radars keeping planes safely apart.

— Aylin Yener, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026
Hawaii residents and visitors should continue monitoring forecasts and any watches or warnings that may be issued as Lowell approaches the islands, the hurricane center said.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of monitoring

Verb

That followed the tumultuous tenure of Jim Harbaugh that included a 2023 national title as well as a spying scandal and NCAA sanctions for recruiting violations.

— CBS News, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026
He was arrested by the police and convicted of spying for a terror plot against the network.

— Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of spying

Verb

We weren’t allowed to leave the room to prevent anyone from overhearing our conversations and perhaps posting [the questions] on the Internet.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026
But despite getting back together in season two, the finale ended on a cliffhanger of Alex overhearing Jackie confess her love to his brother Cole.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of overhearing

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

listening

listening in (on)

listening (to)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Listening in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listening%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of listening in (on)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

quorum

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes