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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
One of the best parts of the weekend was witnessing how intrigued other beauty founders and creators were to listen in and support each others’ stories. Akili King, Essence, 4 Nov. 2024 Astronomers have now listened in on the nearby TRAPPIST-1 system to check whether aliens are chattering between their own neighboring planets. Michael Irving, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2024 But Antonia is listening in from the doorway and seems to be Team Emily. Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2024 Little surprise then that Ukraine has already banned official use of the app, lest Russia is listening in. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for listen in 

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 12 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

listen in

verb
1
: to listen to a broadcast
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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