audience

[ aw-dee-uhns ]

/ ˈɔ di əns /

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See synonyms for: audience / audiences on Thesaurus.com

noun

the group of spectators at a public event; listeners or viewers collectively, as in attendance at a theater or concert: The audience was respectful of the speaker's opinion.

the persons reached by a book, radio or television broadcast, etc.; public: Some works of music have a wide and varied audience.

a regular public that manifests interest, support, enthusiasm, or the like; a following: Every art form has its audience.

opportunity to be heard; chance to speak to or before a person or group; a hearing.

a formal interview with a sovereign, high officer of government, or other high-ranking person: an audience with the pope.

the act of hearing, or attending to, words or sounds.

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Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

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Origin of audience

1325–75; Middle English <Middle French <Latin audientia act of listening, group of listeners, equivalent to audient- , stem of audiēns , present participle of audīre to hear + -ia -ia; see -ence

grammar notes for audience

See collective noun.

OTHER WORDS FROM audience

pro·au·di·ence, adjective

Words nearby audience

Auden, W. H., Audhumla, audial, audible, Audie, audience, audience room, audience share, audile, auding, audio

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use audience in a sentence

My memories of those nights are vivid because it always seemed to me that the entire audience leaped to its feet collectively.
Mark Cuban had the right idea: It’s time to rethink how we use the national anthem|John Feinstein|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Not just that, you can send your ads when your average audience is most active.
Five ways to use machine learning in digital marketing|Birbahadur Kathayat|February 12, 2021|Search Engine Watch
The publication found examples across YouTube and search where advertisers could exclude audiences based on “unknown gender.”
A Google Ads setting allowed advertisers to exclude people of ‘unknown gender’|Carolyn Lyden|February 11, 2021|Search Engine Land
When an audience member asked during the panel why Date Lab has such a low success rate — a good question, but we’ll save it for another time — I invited the two to stand up.
Date Lab: One of our setups is still going strong two years later. We caught up with Willie and Renee for an update.|Marin Cogan|February 11, 2021|Washington Post

It’s also critical to examine where users are in the customer journey before using a lead form extension as more awareness-stage audiences may not be ready to convert yet.
In-SERP lead forms convert Google Ads users without a click-through|Carolyn Lyden|February 10, 2021|Search Engine Land
The best comparison here for an American audience is, well, Internet stuff.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
ROME — What does it take for a Hollywood A-lister to get a private audience with Pope Francis?
Pope Francis Has the Pleasure of Meeting Angelina Jolie for a Few Seconds|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Conway says the audience is asked to vote all the way through the show.
Harry’s Daddy, and Diana’s ‘Murder’: Royal Rumors In a New Play|Tom Sykes|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
When the audience laughed he added that, “They think freedom would benefit them but they were cheated.”
50 Shades of Iran: The Mullahs’ Kinky Fantasies about Sex in the West|IranWire, Shima Sharabi|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Sting took over the lead role to try to draw an audience, but his thumpingly inspirational score was already the hero of the show.
Hedwig, Hugh & Michael Cera: 12 Powerhouse Theater Performances of 2014|Janice Kaplan|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was also the one and only personage in the drama, concentrating on himself the attention of the audience.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
How still and calm the night was, the very stars were painted on the sky, the lights were low, there lay a hush upon the audience.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
The voice of duty called her to the kitchen, where her cook patiently awaited her inevitable, and always painful, audience.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
His lordship suggested that Garrick should write an address to the audience for the players.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
The more enthusiastic among the audience, male and female, also sport the red cap of liberty.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for audience

audience

/ (ˈɔːdɪəns) /

noun

a group of spectators or listeners, esp at a public event such as a concert or play

the people reached by a book, film, or radio or television programme

the devotees or followers of a public entertainer, lecturer, etc; regular public

an opportunity to put one's point of view, such as a formal interview with a monarch or head of state

Word Origin for audience

C14: from Old French, from Latin audientia a hearing, from audīre to hear

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

audience

Origin of audience

grammar notes for audience

OTHER WORDS FROM audience

Words nearby audience

Words related to audience

How to use audience in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for audience

Word Origin for audience