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
  • Those who are not immunized and were exposed anywhere from one to three weeks ago should stay home and limit interactions for 21 days after being exposed while monitoring for symptoms, including a fever or unexplained rash.
    Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is also better at monitoring your heart rate thanks to upgraded optical and electrical heart sensors.
    Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • But their interest deepens after reading Buffett’s annual letters, which became required reading for many investors, and hearing him speak in interviews.
    Josh Funk, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Yaghi, who has six daughters and a retired husband, returned after hearing that Israeli forces had withdrawn from the village at the end of July.
    Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026
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
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 22 Sep. 2026.

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