Synonyms

listen

American

[lis-uhn] / ˈlɪs ən /

verb (used without object)

to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.
to pay attention; heed; obey (often followed byto ).

Children don't always listen to their parents.
to wait attentively for a sound (usually followed byfor ).

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.

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to give ear to; hear.

verb phrase

listen in
1. to listen to a radio or television broadcast.
  
  Listen in tomorrow for the names of the lottery winners.
2. to overhear a conversation or communication, especially by telephone; eavesdrop.
  
  Someone was listening in to his private calls.

listen British

/ ˈlɪsən /

verb

to concentrate on hearing something
to take heed; pay attention

I told you many times but you wouldn't listen

"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

Related Words

See hear.

Other Word Forms

listener noun
relisten verb
unlistening adjective

Etymology

Origin of listen

First recorded before 950; Middle English lis(t)nen, Old English hlysnan; cognate with Middle High German lüsenen, Swedish lyssna; akin to list ⁵

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.

State lawmakers listened to ranchers debate the merits of the branding rules in a packed conference room in Kearney in October.

From The Wall Street Journal

He preaches the convenience of these airports every chance he gets, but people don’t always listen.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was backed by the Pope, who called the statement "very important" and urged all Catholics and "people of goodwill, to listen carefully" to it.

From BBC

We listened to Christmas music while making gingerbread and sipping cranberry apple cider.

From The Wall Street Journal

H said he was concerned by the government's "lack of empathy" and "lack of listening" but that it is "good that they've done this now".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023