audience

American  

[aw-dee-uhns] / ˈɔ di əns /

noun

audiences plural

1. 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.

2. the persons reached by a book, radio or television broadcast, etc.; public.

   Some works of music have a wide and varied audience.

3. a regular public that manifests interest, support, enthusiasm, or the like; a following.

   Every art form has its audience.

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

5. a formal interview with a sovereign, high officer of government, or other high-ranking person.

   an audience with the pope.

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

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audience British  

/ ˈɔːdɪəns /

noun

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

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

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

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

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Grammar

See collective noun.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• proaudience
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• audiences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of audience

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin audientia “act of listening, group of listeners,” from audient-, stem of audiēns “hearing” (present participle of audīre “to hear”) + -ia -ia ( def. )

Explanation

An audience can be people watching a performance, or an opportunity to speak with someone important, like an audience with your favorite actor at a "meet and greet" event. The noun audience can describe all the people watching a performance, or the part of the general public interested in a specific type of information or entertainment. For example, the audience for a show about raising children might be parents or other care-givers. Finally, an audience can be a meeting or interview, like an audience with your school's principal.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

audience audiences

The platform given to Waters by the Heritage Foundation is prominent, but despite the efforts of The New York Times, her intended audience doesn’t seem to be interested.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Controversies such as a 2002 autopsy performed in London -- on camera and before an audience —- further fuelled his notoriety.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

"Virgin is my least favourite word in the English language," she tells an audience of hundreds at Latitude Festival, in Suffolk.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Those types of toys attract an audience that is typically older, increasingly including adults, and more likely to make repeat purchases.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

He wanted to keep the audience happy, but had to find a way to help his friend relax too.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

NBCUniversal’s Peacock turns a profit for the first time, boosted by audiences tuning into the World Cup and “Love Island.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

The Swedish singer Zara Larsson released her debut album more than a decade ago, but she’s finally won over American audiences with the hedonistic trance-pop of “Midnight Sun.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Rather than passively consuming a finished narrative, audiences actively participate in constructing and navigating the environment itself.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

Christopher Nolan's star-studded adaptation of "The Odyssey" has quickly become his latest box office success, capturing audiences and generating conversation around the world.

From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026

I found that most downtown audiences seemed to expect some unnamed something whenever I appeared.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Related Words

• congregation
• crowd
• gallery
• gathering
• market
• public