Thesaurus results for EAVESDROP (ON)

eavesdrop (on)

verb

ˈēvz-ˌdräp

Definition of eavesdrop (on)

as in to listen in (on)

to listen to (another in private conversation) a nosy traveler who likes to eavesdrop on his fellow airline passengers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eavesdrop (on)

Verb

In a provocation to the Forest Service officers monitoring the blockade, the slightest nudging threatened to send the edifice crashing to the ground and Tubbs to his maiming or death.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Waymo's cars, equipped with an array of cameras, microphones and other sensors to monitor passengers and other nearby vehicles, are becoming more common in cities across the United States.

— Scott Neuman, NPR, 10 July 2026

Definition of monitor

Verb

Growing up, Williford heard stories of ancestors catching giant grasshoppers, wrapping them in a maple leaf, adding a berry, then roasting them in fire and eating them like popcorn.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
In one video, several loud booms can be heard as a fireball appears behind buildings in the direction of the city’s port.

— Jamie Gray, NBC news, 9 July 2026

Definition of hear

Verb

Beijing — An American scientist who has studied underground nuclear tests has been detained in China for more than 18 months on spying charges, according to his supporters and a US lawmaker.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
On one wall, the researchers spied what first appeared to be patches of dirt or debris on a mural; further scrutiny showed these were actually thin scraps of plaster that were inscribed with strange markings.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 July 2026

Definition of spy

Verb

Degorski had told an ex-girlfriend of his role in the killings, and a friend who overheard her talking about it in 2002 went to the police.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Muraki admitted overhearing her comments about the home but denied handing a note during their first meeting.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of overhear

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

eat (up)

eavesdrop (on)

eavesdropped (on)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Eavesdrop (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eavesdrop%20%28on%29. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of eavesdrop (on)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

loquacious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes