wiretapverb [ T or I ]
/ˈwaɪə.tæp/us/ˈwaɪr.tæp/-pp-to secretly listen to people by connecting a listening device to their telephone, or to attach a listening device to a telephone for this purpose:
The court gave permission to have his phone wiretapped to gather evidence.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
International relations: spying and espionage
- agent
- agent provocateur
- counter-espionage
- counterintelligence
- deep state
- intelligence
- MI5
- MI6
- on the inside idiom
- operative
- phone tapping
- scout
- snoop
- spook
- spy
- spy on sb/sth
- tail
- tap
- the CIA
- wired up
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wiretap
noun [ C ] /ˈwaɪə.tæp/us/ˈwaɪr.tæp/
The government put a wiretap on his phone.
wiretapping
noun [ U ] uk/ˈwaɪə.tæp.ɪŋ/us/ˈwaɪr.tæp.ɪŋ/
Several figures resigned over the illegal wiretapping scandal.