listened; listening
ˈli-sᵊn-iŋ 
ˈlis-niŋ
1
: to pay attention to sound
listen to music
2
: to hear something with thoughtful attention : give consideration
listen to a plea
3
: to be alert to catch an expected sound
listen for his step
archaic
: to give ear to : hear
Examples of listen in a Sentence
Verb
I listened as hard as I could, but I couldn't hear a word of what he said over all that noise.
She listened with interest as he told her about his travels.
She tried to warn him of the dangers, but he wouldn't listen.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
For more guidance on how to treat your weekend like a vacation, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 July 2025
Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
The podcast has garnered over 14.3 million YouTube views, 10 million audio listens, 17 million TikTok likes and 117 million views across TikTok and Instagram Reels this past year, all while charting #1 on Spotify’s top comedy podcasts.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen
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Verb
Some fans have expected new music from the group, but for the most part, very little has emerged for a long time – but followers of the emo rockers never stopped listening.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
For more guidance on how to treat your weekend like a vacation, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 July 2025
Noun
The combination of real-time news and takes no one else will voice make this an informative listen that will also spark in-car debate.
—Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
The podcast has garnered over 14.3 million YouTube views, 10 million audio listens, 17 million TikTok likes and 117 million views across TikTok and Instagram Reels this past year, all while charting #1 on Spotify’s top comedy podcasts.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen
Cite this Entry
“Listen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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