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.
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.
Investors will be listening in to the conference call Wednesday night for more insight on these announcements.
From Barron's
"There's almost a stigma about it, and you'll listen in different rooms, which shows you think it's only relevant to one gender, which of course isn't true," she said.
From BBC
Simon arranged some hay bales in the shape of a seat for her and tucked loose hay all around her legs, too, so that she might sit near him and listen in warmth and comfort.
From Literature
The girls had been listening in on our conversation.
From Literature
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.
