listener

American  

[lis-uh-ner] / ˈlɪs ə nər /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of listener

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

Example Sentences

So for me personally as a listener, it’s about that effort, rather than getting the perfect pronunciation.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

An audio reader daren’t go flat, for fear of droning on and boring the listener, but as this audiobook shows, excessive buoyancy also carries a risk.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

At least then the listener gets to use their own imagination.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Men with clipped accents told listeners the news from on high; there was certainly little back and forth between presenter and listener.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

And being able to "see the big picture" does help the listener enjoy the music even more.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

• audience