listener

American  

[lis-uh-ner] / ˈlɪs ə nər /

noun

• listeners
  plural

1. someone who gives attention with the ear, especially for the purpose of hearing specific sounds, speech, instructions, etc..

   At story time, you may choose to be a reader or a listener.

2. someone who listens to a radio broadcast or to a specific radio program.

   They attract teenage listeners with pop songs about first love.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• listeners
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of listener

First recorded in 1600–20; listen ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

listener listeners

It doesn’t capture the fact that your reader and your viewer and your listener are shocked and possibly outraged and really struggling with what’s going on.

From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026

“The knock in the night has always been my calling,” this kind listener explains as she admits the exhausted woman with the rambling story to tell.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

The effort comes after legendary music mogul Jimmy Iovine said music streaming services were "minutes away from being obsolete", because they don't foster a connection between the listener and the music.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

He was a voracious reader and an even more voracious listener, for whom genre was of no concern.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

The Greeks began a process that became unusually pronounced in Western music: emphasis on a VIP class of performers whose brilliance was intended to strike awe and enchantment into the hearts of the ordinary listener.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

"Though the chatbots often made mistakes, they also behaved as sympathetic listeners to skeptical users -- while still refusing to endorse conspiracy theories," the center said.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

"Music is a vital element of our cultural lifeblood, and we can't wait to welcome 6 Music listeners to learn more about how vibrant the city has become."

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Some effects have struck listeners as jarring, including the teleportation whoosh for a process Maas dubs “winnowing.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

As Willy observes, it also educated listeners about Puerto Rico with context they didn’t have beforehand, making an album like “Libertad” potentially more approachable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

They estimated that between 1.5 million and 2 million of these listeners believed they were hearing actual news.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

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Related Words

• audience

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