listen in (on)

Definition of listen in (on)next
as in to eavesdrop (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 listen in (on)
Verb
  • My colleague Morgan Chittum, who just joined Fortune and who Term Sheet readers will be hearing a lot more from soon, dug into this question in a recent piece.
    — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In a complex case that took years to get to trial, jurors heard weeks of testimony from children who had lived with their parents at the compound, other family members, firearms experts, doctors and forensic technicians.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Additionally, staffers in the agency’s information technology and human resources divisions said the Controller’s Office generally doesn’t monitor where employees telework.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Health authorities in Kenya have placed the country's border points on high alert and are monitoring for possible additional cases.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 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
  • 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
  • The founder who overhears the right conversation wasn’t looking for it.
    — Jennifer Hoffmann, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 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

“Listen in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listen%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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