as in to listen
to pay attention especially through the act of hearing
young people would do well to read this wise and witty book and harken to its message
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Recent Examples of harken
In the Shiite Muslim faith, a martyr is the highest expression of honor — harkening back to the beginnings of Shiite Islam with the 7th century killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, in Karbala in what is now Iraq.
—
Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 Feb. 2025
Each event is a freak accident that harkens to Final Destination-level hijinks but aims for more black comedy.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
The Cubs are favored again, harkening back to the days when Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant were the stars and Joe Maddon held court with the media like a late-night talk-show host.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Try the North Carolina flounder — the secret to its hearty crunch is nama panko, which stays crispy to lock in flavor — with a simple green salad with zingy ginger dressing, rice topped with a smattering of furikake and even a dollop of potato salad, harkening back to Perry’s Southern roots.
—Jenny Hartley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harken
Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 Feb. 2025
Each event is a freak accident that harkens to Final Destination-level hijinks but aims for more black comedy.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
The Cubs are favored again, harkening back to the days when Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant were the stars and Joe Maddon held court with the media like a late-night talk-show host.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Try the North Carolina flounder — the secret to its hearty crunch is nama panko, which stays crispy to lock in flavor — with a simple green salad with zingy ginger dressing, rice topped with a smattering of furikake and even a dollop of potato salad, harkening back to Perry’s Southern roots.
—Jenny Hartley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harken
Verb
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Tour the sub, including the periscope, control room and bunk rooms, and listen to recorded stories from former crew members.—
Stacey Zable,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
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In the years since Avicii passed away in 2018, millions of people around the world have continued to listen to the groundbreaking electronic dance music the DJ left behind.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Numbers don’t mean much if women or non-White soldiers don’t feel valued and heard.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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As traffic piles up behind them, a yell and a bang can be heard as the Chevy driver pulls out, running Cifuni over and dragging her down the street.—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harken. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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