fly on the wall

Idioms

An unseen observer or listener, as in I wish I could be a fly on the wall when she tells him she's pregnant. [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I've always wanted to be a fly on the wall and see what he's saying about our lads," said Tuipulotu.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

Give us some fly on the wall info.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 19, 2024

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall when Roberts heard about this casting choice!

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2023

At 6′7″ tall, Smith knows he's rarely a fly on the wall when he arrives in a community with a camera.

From Scientific American • Oct. 17, 2023

He tries to be a fly on the wall, and lets us talk among ourselves, giving advice and guiding us only when he needs to.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023