listening in (on)

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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for listening in (on)
Verb
  • While the quarterback position will be worth monitoring, the run game was the biggest story line surrounding FIU’s offensive performance.
    — Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026
  • On Friday, the executive director of the NFL Players Association said both the NFL and the players union have had experts monitoring the field conditions for Sunday's game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, Walmart was hearing requests from employees for updates to its training programs.
    — Alice Barlow, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Customers from out of state have come and made their own candles and fragrances just from hearing about it through TikTok and word-of-mouth, Salinas said.
    — Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Iran’s state TV said a man was executed after being convicted on charges of spying for Israel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Soon after spying the hungry bird, the family watched in horror as the kite accidentally dropped the reptile right into their backyard, bringing an abrupt end to tea on the veranda.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Digging a bit deeper, the study determined that while 57% of respondents would be creeped out by someone shoulder-surfing their screens, only 43% had a similar worry about people overhearing phone conversations.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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.

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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 29 Sep. 2026.

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