listen
to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.
to pay attention; heed; obey (often followed by to): Children don't always listen to their parents.
to wait attentively for a sound (usually followed by for): to listen for sounds of their return.
Informal. to convey a particular impression to the hearer; sound: The new recording doesn't listen as well as the old one.
Archaic. to give ear to; hear.
listen in,
to listen to a radio or television broadcast: Listen in tomorrow for the names of the lottery winners.
to overhear a conversation or communication, especially by telephone; eavesdrop: Someone was listening in to his private calls.
Origin of listen
1synonym study For listen
Other words from listen
- lis·ten·er, noun
- re·lis·ten, verb
- un·lis·ten·ing, adjective
Words Nearby listen
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use listen in a sentence
About a dozen attendees, socially distanced across the backyard, listened.
Election live updates: Trump returns to Wisconsin; Biden to face live audience at town hall | Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 17, 2020 | Washington PostThe real skill is pattern recognition over time of who is actually useful for good information — knowing who to listen to and for what.
Startup founders must overcome information overload | Walter Thompson | September 17, 2020 | TechCrunchInstead, I took to spending whole days in the wetland, watching and listening.
How to hunt for star-nosed moles (and their holes) | Kenneth Catania | September 15, 2020 | Popular-ScienceAs always, thanks for the feedback and thanks for listening.
What if Your Company Had No Rules? (Bonus Episode) | Maria Konnikova | September 12, 2020 | FreakonomicsEven Spotify only shows you speed options when you’re listening to podcasts.
Read, watch, and listen to things faster than ever before | David Nield | September 9, 2020 | Popular-Science
But if you listen to our leaders, they weren't the real targets here.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead | Luke O’Neil | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTWhat an amazing thing to be able to listen to any music you want, a whole world of bands.
One of the rites of passage for every young political reporter is to listen to the elders tell stories about campaigns past.
But then I thought about the feedback I get from fans, yes we do listen to you, and thought why not?
Porn Stars on the Year in Porn: Drone Erotica, Belle Knox, and Wild Sex | Aurora Snow | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhy would they listen to the radio when they can see the outside world?
North Korea’s Secret Movie Bootleggers: How Western Films Make It Into the Hermit Kingdom | Lizzie Crocker | December 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut he walked up and down the room and forced himself to listen, though he could scarcely bear it, I could see.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy FayShopkeepers ran out of their shops, housewives craned over their balconies to listen to him.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeI am always astonished, amazed and delighted afresh, and even as I listen I can hardly believe that the man can play so!
Music-Study in Germany | Amy FayNo one would listen to him but old Monsieur Farival, who went into convulsions over the droll story.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinI knew, further, that Sunday could not be a day of rest for her, for of all his people she would have to listen to his preaching.
The Soldier of the Valley | Nelson Lloyd
British Dictionary definitions for listen
/ (ˈlɪsən) /
to concentrate on hearing something
to take heed; pay attention: I told you many times but you wouldn't listen
Origin of listen
1Derived forms of listen
- listener, noun
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
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