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
  • For individuals, Naoris offers a browser extension that monitors digital transactions and provides real-time alerts about suspicious activity.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
  • How the agent works Aardvark continuously monitors source code repositories, analyzing commits, scanning for vulnerabilities, and prioritizing which ones matter most.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Joe is plagued with visions of his dead father during his therapy sessions and hears disembodied voices whispering while hanging out with friends.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
  • MacLeod said many of the complaints his organization hears are like the Johnsons’ and involve third-party utility billing companies hired by landlords.
    Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • And when Clara spies her classmate Miller Adams (Mason Thames) along the roadside, and decides to give him a ride, the film introduces a next-generation complication-that-isn’t-really-one.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Lo overhears a scuffle in the cabin next door and a distinct splash in the freezing ocean waters.
    Courtney Howard, Variety, 9 Oct. 2025
  • But a nurse eventually overhears Archer and Hannah discussing it, and misunderstands the situation.
    Claire Franken, TVLine, 1 Oct. 2025
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 11 Jan. 2026.

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