MEANING
To listen secretly to a conversation that is not meant for you.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- eavesdrop on a conversation
- eavesdrop at a door
On the page
He lingered beside the open window, pretending not to eavesdrop on the argument.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- eavesdrop
- Past tense
- eavesdropped
- Past participle
- eavesdropped
- Present participle
- eavesdropping
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- eavesdrop
- Present continuous
- am/is/are eavesdropping
- Present perfect
- have/has eavesdropped
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been eavesdropping
- Past
- eavesdropped
- Past continuous
- was/were eavesdropping
- Past perfect
- had eavesdropped
- Past perfect continuous
- had been eavesdropping
- Future
- will eavesdrop
- Future continuous
- will be eavesdropping
- Future perfect
- will have eavesdropped
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been eavesdropping
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: eavesdrop; eavesdrops; eavesdropped; eavesdropped; eavesdropping. Writing functions: character, dialogue, suspense. Commonness: moderately common. Doubled p validated.
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