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
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.
Harry is a man who listens in because joining in isn’t an option. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025 Lowenstein listened in shock and horror as her friend told her the unthinkable: The plane Alexander was on had exploded in the sky over Lockerbie, Scotland, less than 40 minutes after takeoff. Faith Karimi, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025 YouTube has both benefited and enabled the rise in video podcast consumption, last year becoming the most popular platform for podcast listening in the U.S., Edison Research found in October . Paulina Likos, CNBC, 22 Feb. 2025 Elon Musk speaks as one of his young sons and President Donald Trump listen in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 11, 2025. Lorie Konish, CNBC, 19 Feb. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Listen in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20in. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

listen in

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