eavesdropping

noun
UK: /ˈiːvzdrɒpɪŋ/
US: /ˈiːvzdrɑːpɪŋ/

  1. The act of secretly listening to a private conversation.

    1. Eavesdropping is wrong, so I never listen to others.
    2. The police investigated the possible eavesdropping on phone calls in the office.
eavesdropping verb

  1. To secretly listen to a conversation.

    1. I was accused of eavesdropping on their private talk.
    2. She caught him eavesdropping outside the door, trying to hear their discussion.
eavesdropping adjective

  1. Secretly listening to a conversation.

    1. The detective used eavesdropping devices to gather clues.
    2. Eavesdropping activities are illegal without a proper warrant from the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "eavesdropping" is /ˈiːvzdrɒpɪŋ/ in British English and /ˈiːvzdrɑːpɪŋ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "eavesdropping": "Eavesdropping is wrong, so I never listen to others.". More examples on the page.