What does wiretapped mean?
Wiretapped is the past tense and past participle of wiretap and is also used adjectivally to describe communications that have been covertly intercepted. In its central sense, a line—especially a telephone line—has been tapped so that conversations or other messages can be monitored. The word commonly appears in reporting and legal contexts involving surveillance, often with the implication that monitoring was unauthorized or improperly conducted. Wiretapped can modify a call, conversation, line, or device, while the base form wiretap normally serves as the verb and noun. Although wiretapping can be a legitimate law-enforcement or security practice when legally authorized, the term’s everyday associations tend toward secrecy and privacy violations. It is distinct from merely overhearing a conversation: the definition specifically involves intercepting communications by tapping a line. American and British English use the word in essentially the same way, with formal and journalistic registers being especially common.
Having had its communications covertly intercepted by tapping a line, especially a telephone line.
"The attorney presented recordings obtained from the wiretapped phone line."
Common in journalistic, legal, and historical discussion; it often suggests unauthorized monitoring.
To covertly intercept or monitor communications by tapping a line.
"Investigators alleged that the agency wiretapped the defendant's calls."
Wiretapped is the past tense and past participle of wiretap and normally takes a direct object.
In an age of encrypted messaging, wiretapped still evokes the older image of a copper telephone line being secretly tapped.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wiretapped come from?
Wiretapped is an English past-tense and past-participle form of wiretap, a compound of wire and tap. The compound dates from the late nineteenth century, when telephone surveillance was becoming a familiar concern, with tap in the compound sense meaning to intercept or monitor communications. Wiretapped is the regular inflected form of this modern English compound.
Related word forms
How wiretapped is actually used
Neutral to formal in journalistic and legal contexts, but it often carries connotations of secrecy and improper or unlawful surveillance. As a verb form, it normally takes a direct object.
Easily confused with wiretapped
Wiretap is the base verb and noun, whereas wiretapped is its past tense, past participle, and adjectival form.