listen in

verb

listened in; listening in; listens in

intransitive verb

1
: to tune in to or monitor a broadcast
2
: to listen to a conversation without participating in it
especially : eavesdrop
listener-in
ˌli-sᵊn-ər-ˈin How to pronounce listen in (audio)
ˌlis-nər-
noun

Examples of listen in in a Sentence

it's not polite to listen in on other people's private conversations
Recent Examples on the Web Little surprise then that Ukraine has already banned official use of the app, lest Russia is listening in. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024 But there was someone else listening in who had no business being on the call: a Chinese government official. Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 4 Sep. 2024 Over the course of two or even three hours, López Obrador, 70, would tout his achievements, disparage his enemies and otherwise set the agenda for the day — as millions of Mexicans listened in at home. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024 Those of us working from home were suddenly spending a lot of time pretending to listen in meetings or during FaceTime catch-ups with homebound friends, examining our facial features in the camera instead. Katie Way, SELF, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for listen in 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'listen in.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of listen in was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near listen in

Cite this Entry

“Listen in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20in. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

listen in

verb
1
: to listen to a broadcast
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!