hearing
Americannoun
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the faculty or sense by which sound is perceived.
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the act of perceiving sound.
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opportunity to be heard.
to grant a hearing.
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an instance or a session in which testimony and arguments are presented, especially before an official, as a judge in a lawsuit.
- Synonyms:
- consultation, conference, audience
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a preliminary examination of the basic evidence and charges by a magistrate to determine whether criminal procedures, a trial, etc., are justified.
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earshot.
Their conversation was beyond my hearing.
noun
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the faculty or sense by which sound is perceived
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an opportunity to be listened to
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the range within which sound can be heard; earshot
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the investigation of a matter by a court of law, esp the preliminary inquiry into an indictable crime by magistrates
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a formal or official trial of an action or lawsuit
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hearing
Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at hear, -ing 1
Explanation
Hearing is the sense that allows you to distinguish sounds with your ears. Dogs have a particularly acute sense of hearing, and they can hear sounds pitched too high for humans to hear. You use your hearing when you attend a concert, listen to an audio book, or talk to a friend on the phone. Another kind of hearing is a legal process at which people state a case in front of a judge, so she can decide whether or not it should be presented at a trial with a jury. This kind of hearing gets its name from the idea that the court is "listening" to the evidence.
Vocabulary lists containing hearing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hearing Hawkins’s recording of “Body and Soul” as a fourth-grader had been a turning point for Rollins musically and eventually lead him to switch from alto to tenor saxophone.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Hearing loss and diabetes, despite being more common in men, were also tied to lower cognitive scores in women.
From Science Daily • May 20, 2026
Hearing “The Heather on the Hill,” “Almost Like Being in Love” and “From This Day On” in the majestic intimacy of Pasadena Playhouse is a memory that will last at least a lifetime.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
"Hearing the outcome today really gives that reassurance and comfort around the right processes being followed," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Hearing Miss Love coming, I sort of waved good-bye to myself and straightened up.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
