listens in (on)

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
  • With Wednesday’s fatal shooting of three officers in rural Pennsylvania, more than three dozen law enforcement officers have been killed by hostile means in the line of duty in 2025, according to a national nonprofit organization that monitors such figures.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The upcoming Apple show The Savant, starring Jessica Chastain as a woman who monitors and engages with white supremacists online, tries to address these difficult matters too.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The questions my agency hears most often are surprisingly consistent.
    Peter Boyd, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • In his music, one hears long, flowing melodies combined with darting harmonies and intricate polyrhythms.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • When Leo first spies the orphaned Josie singing on a Boston street corner, he’s struck by her resemblance to the Pendleton family, his father’s former employers and the victims of great tragedy when their baby was kidnapped in 1880.
    EW.com, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In the movie, Manchester overhears conversations by the Toys R’ Us manager Mitch (Peter Dinklage) and an employee Leigh.
    Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • In the book, Jackie admits her feelings to Cole, and Alex overhears the conversation.
    Julia Moore, People.com, 31 Aug. 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 21 Sep. 2025.

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