listen

American  

[lis-uhn] / ˈlɪs ən /

verb (used without object)

1. to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.

2. to pay attention; heed; obey (often followed byto ).

   Children don't always listen to their parents.

3. to wait attentively for a sound (usually followed byfor ).

   to listen for sounds of their return.

4. Informal. to convey a particular impression to the hearer; sound.

   The new recording doesn't listen as well as the old one.

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verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to give ear to; hear.

verb phrase

1. 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

1. to concentrate on hearing something

2. to take heed; pay attention

   I told you many times but you wouldn't listen

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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

Explanation

If you really listen late at night after everyone's asleep, you'll hear the noises your house makes — the creaking of walls and floors, the hum of the refrigerator, the banging of the radiators. When you listen to something, you don't just hear it, but you really pay attention to the sounds. You can listen to music, listen for the sound of your guests arriving, or listen to the advice your grandfather gives you. The phrase listen in means to eavesdrop on, or deliberately overhear, a conversation. The t in the middle of the word listen is silent (you can't hear it even if you listen).

Example Sentences

"It is really my hope that this is the icebreaking moment that leads everyone to listen to the public and start trying to have the conversation we need to have," she said.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

While for Sixtus the issue is that AI music doesn't sound right, others simply don't want to listen to music made by a bot.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

“Swag” or “Swag II”? I was hesitant to want to listen to “Swag II” because I love “Swag I” so much.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

The students, he wrote, “started disrupting before the introductions were complete, they weren’t there to hear, listen or question, they were there to disrupt in a coordinated manner.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

I creep out of my bedroom and listen from the landing as Dad goes to the door.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

Related Words

• accept
• admit
• attend
• get
• observe
• take notice
• tune in