wiretap

1 of 2

verb

wire·​tap ˈwī(-ə)r-ˌtap 

wiretapped; wiretapping; wiretaps

intransitive verb

: to tap a telephone or telegraph wire or cellular signal in order to get information

transitive verb

: to tap the telephone of

wiretap

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or an instance of wiretapping

2

: an electrical connection for wiretapping

Examples of wiretap in a Sentence

Verb

The FBI wiretapped his phone.

Noun

Federal agents put a wiretap on his phone.

Investigators listened to the wiretaps for clues about the suspect's whereabouts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In that case, federal investigators obtained approval to wiretap his phone amid questions about $300,000 that wound up in bank accounts belonging to him and his wife. —Jake Offenhartz and Karen Matthews, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2024

Section 702 permits the US government to wiretap communications between Americans and foreigners overseas. —Dell Cameron, WIRED, 12 Apr. 2024

Noun

His agents deployed bugs, wiretaps, informants, and disruptive operations on a scale unprecedented in the United States, but most of it was never revealed during Hoover’s lifetime. —Beverly Gage, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024

Using wiretaps and surveillance, in addition to search warrants, agents and officers recovered roughly 33 kilogram-sized packages of cocaine and more than 6 kilograms of fentanyl, eight loaded firearms and one imitation pistol, officials said. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wiretap

1 of 2 verb

wire·​tap ˈwī(ə)r-ˌtap 

: to tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information

wiretapper noun

wiretap

2 of 2 noun

: the act or an instance of wiretapping

Legal Definition

wiretap

1 of 2 verb

wire·​tap ˈwīr-ˌtap 

wiretapped; wiretapping

intransitive verb

: to engage in wiretapping

had probable cause to wiretap

transitive verb

: to interpret through wiretapping

a wiretapped telephone conversation

also : to connect to the telephone line of for the purpose of wiretapping

wiretapped her home

compare bug, eavesdrop

wiretap

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of wiretapping

we have held previously that wiretaps are a form of a search

—Whack v. State, 615 A.2d 1226 (1992)

2

: an electrical connection for wiretapping compare pen register