listen in
Britishverb
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to listen to the radio
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to intercept radio communications
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to listen but not contribute (to a discussion), esp surreptitiously
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Hear or overhear the conversation of others; eavesdrop. It is also put as listen in on , as in She listened in on her parents and learned they were planning a surprise party . [Early 1900s]
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Tune in and listen to a broadcast, as in Were you listening in the other night when they played Beethoven's Fifth? [1920s]
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.
Hougan brought up the example of a TikTok content creator who flew to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., before the Super Bowl in order to listen in on rehearsals for the national anthem.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026
Vanessa Scaglione, head of corporate real estate, said this allows introverted staff to listen in and be part of the team without the pressure to engage.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
Even so, she said the findings indicate that intellectual ability is one of several factors affecting how effectively people listen in complex sound environments, such as busy classrooms or social gatherings.
From Science Daily • Oct. 29, 2025
The Archers also makes sure any countryside sounds and references listeners hear are accurate, so when you listen in the height of summer, Ambridge sounds like the height of summer too.
From BBC • Aug. 7, 2025
The other gunters in the chat room were now starting to form a small crowd around us to listen in.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
