Meaning & use
eavesdrop
Last updated
to secretly listen to a private conversation without the speakers' knowledge.
See it in a sentence
She leaned closer to the door, trying to eavesdrop on her parents' conversation.
It's rude to eavesdrop on other people's phone calls.
A note on using this word
Comes from standing under the 'eaves' of a house to overhear what was said inside; today it applies to any secret listening, including digital surveillance.
Words with a similar meaning
snooplisten in
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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