wiretap

noun
UK: /ˈwaɪə.tæp/
US: /ˈwaɪər.tæp/

  1. A hidden device used to listen to people's phone calls or other conversations.

    1. The police used a wiretap to gather evidence.
    2. They discovered a wiretap had been installed in their office phone system without authorization.

Synonyms

eavesdrop bug intercept monitor
wiretap verb

  1. To secretly listen to someone's phone calls or conversations using a hidden device.

    1. The police wanted to wiretap his phone.
    2. The government was accused of illegally wiretapping citizens' communications during the investigation.
wiretap transitive-verb

  1. To connect into a communication line, typically a telephone, for the purpose of listening in.

    1. They will wiretap the phone lines to gather evidence of the crime.
    2. Federal agents obtained a warrant to wiretap the suspect's mobile phone conversations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "wiretap" is /ˈwaɪə.tæp/ in British English and /ˈwaɪər.tæp/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "wiretap": eavesdrop, bug, intercept, monitor.

Example usage of "wiretap": "The police used a wiretap to gather evidence.". More examples on the page.