wiretap

UK: /ˈwaɪəˌtæp/ US: /ˈwaɪrˌtæp/ ,(wī^ər′tap′)

Inflections of 'wiretap' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

wiretaps

v 3rd person singular

wiretapping

v pres p

wiretapped

v past

wiretapped

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

wire•tap /ˈwaɪrˌtæp/   n., v., -tapped, -tap•ping. 
n. [countable]

1. Telecommunications an act or instance of making a secret connection to a telephone or telegraph wire in order to intercept conversations and gain information.

v. 

2. Telecommunications to listen in on by means of a wiretap: [~ + object]
   to wiretap conversations; to wiretap a phone.
   [no object]
   The detectives were busy wiretapping.

wire•tap•per, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

wire•tap  (wī^ər′tap′), n., v., -tapped, -tap•ping, adj. 
n. 

1. Telecommunications an act or instance of tapping telephone or telegraph wires for evidence or other information.

v.t. 

2. Telecommunications to obtain (information, evidence, etc.) by tapping telephone or telegraph wires:
   to wiretap conversations.
3. Telecommunications to listen in on by means of a wiretap:
   to wiretap a telephone; to wiretap a conversation.

v.i. 

4. Telecommunications to tap telephone or telegraph wires for evidence, information, etc.

adj. 

5. Telecommunications pertaining to or obtained by wiretap.

• back formation from wiretapper 1950–55

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

wiretap / ˈwaɪəˌtæp/ verb ( -taps, -tapping, -tapped)

1. to make a connection to a telegraph or telephone wire in order to obtain information secretly

ˈwireˌtapper noun

ˈwireˌtapping noun