listening post

American  

noun

1. Military. a post or position, as in advance of a defensive line, established for the purpose of listening to detect the enemy's movements.

2. any foreign country or city viewed as a source of intelligence about an enemy or rival nation or one that is a potential enemy.

3. any concealed position maintained to obtain information.

   The government had listening posts to keep informed of revolutionary activities.

---

listening post British  

noun

1. LP. military a forward position set up to obtain early warning of enemy movement

2. any strategic position or place for obtaining information about another country or area

---

Etymology

Origin of listening post

First recorded in 1915–20

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

listening post

From the rise and fall of the signal’s pitch as the satellite passed overhead, the scientists could reconstruct the entire orbit from a listening post.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

During the Cold War, neutral Austria, which was situated close to the Iron Curtain, was a convenient listening post.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

These included a listening post in Cuba and a naval base in Vietnam.

From New York Times ● May 4, 2022

He also spent countless, monotonous hours gathering intelligence at a listening post about sinister figures who lurked in the shadows and closely monitored the movements of Border Patrol agents.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 9, 2018

He was assigned to a listening post, and later he worked for the Ministry of Propaganda.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---