listens in (on)

Definition of listens in (on)next
present tense third-person singular of listen in (on)
as in eavesdrops (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 listens in (on)
Verb
  • Often referred to as the state’s chief fiscal officer, the state comptroller pays the state’s bills, monitors fiscal compliance, records transactions and contracts and issues reports that guide the governor and legislature on budget decisions.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Cataloochee Ranch, along with its sister property The Swag, has recently been designated a DarkSky Approved Lodge by DarkSky International, a non-profit that monitors the quality of night skies.
    The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • About 15 minutes later, another 911 call comes in from a woman named Jane Kowalski, who sees Denise Lee slapping the back window of King's car and hears her screaming for help.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Not a passive one staring at a monitor in another state, but an active presence — someone who notices the unlocked window, who hears the footstep on the porch, who understands that an elder’s sudden confusion might signal a urinary tract infection.
    Neal K. Shah, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • When Claire and Frank retreat to Inverness on holiday following the end of WWII, Frank spies the spectre of a Highlander staring up into Claire's window that abruptly vanishes.
    Amy Wilkinson, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Alma peers through a keyhole and spies her mother (Susanne Wuest) standing before a candlelit shrine to the family’s dead.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Sophie overhears Anthony confront Benedict in the study, but Benedict puts up a solid argument that his brother, who has just returned from a trip to India with his wife Kate (Simone Ashley) and their son Edmund, hasn’t witnessed his planning and love for Sophie.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Please note that one Alice Mondrich overhears more than enough to know exactly what is happening here!
    Christina Grace Tucker, Vulture, 26 Feb. 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

“Listens in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listens%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.

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