LISTENS IN (ON) Synonyms: 14 Similar Words

listens in (on)

verb

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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Recent Examples of Synonyms for listens in (on)

Verb

Instead of forcing business owners to constantly upload mountains of paper invoices or rigid bank statements, Magellan monitors the real-time transactions flowing directly through its platform.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 June 2026
The test monitors treatment response and cancer recurrence by detecting circulating tumor DNA, giving physicians real-time insights into treatment effectiveness.

— Sasirekha Subramanian, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of monitors

Verb

Walsh urged anyone who hears credible threats of violence, particularly in domestic situations, to report them immediately, saying early intervention gives law enforcement the best chance to prevent tragedy.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Kevin Costner is the Iowa farmer who hears strange voices and builds a ball field in his corn.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of hears

Verb

Late one night, Clark spies what appears to be a sliver of light coming through a crack in the wall of the store’s basement.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 June 2026
In Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s The Finding of Moses, a dog spies a young girl whose presence unlocks the painting’s meaning.

— Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026

Definition of spies

Verb

Mami overhears our conversation and gives us a crisp hundred-peso note, plasticky and purple.

— Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026
When Dickens overhears his son Baby chatting with Andersen during storytime, and the child’s painful stutter is gone, Dickens is grateful, at least temporarily, for Andersen’s presence.

— Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 10 June 2026

Definition of overhears

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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listens

listens in (on)

listens (to)

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“Listens in (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listens%20in%20%28on%29. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of listens in (on)

verb

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