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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for listening in (on)

Verb

Other public health professionals, legislators and attorneys general — including Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul — have joined in urging the agency to undertake microplastics monitoring nationwide.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
One person might have multiple agents continuously monitoring rates, researching products or evaluating alternatives.

— Kevin Williams, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of monitoring

Verb

Yes, the Gamecocks are certainly playing with a much bigger chip on their shoulder after hearing the naysayers rightfully create enough noise across the country to be heard in Columbia.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 Oct. 2026
In her first sketch, Navarrette and Hernandez played the ghost of a couple of 1930s kids on the Queen Mary who keep distracting a tourist from hearing where another ghost’s treasure is hidden.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of hearing

Verb

The actress provided the voice of a technologically advanced, data-spying smart refrigerator.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
To support their request to detain Alfozan, the government pointed to a case where former Twitter employees were charged with spying for the Saudi government.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of spying

Verb

After weeks of overhearing the outbursts, O'Connor and his wife compiled their own top 10 list of Torn's most memorable lines.

— Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Morales recalled overhearing Ramirez on the phone in January confiding in someone about her troubled relationship.

— Theodore Parisienne, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 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)

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“Listening in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listening%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of listening in (on)

verb

Example Sentences

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