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
Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 May 2024
After listening to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s bigoted commencement address at Benedictine College, singer Maren Morris has her answer.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for listen 
Verb
Eilish previewed her forthcoming album at listening events in both New York and Los Angeles this week.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 May 2024
After listening to Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s bigoted commencement address at Benedictine College, singer Maren Morris has her answer.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for listen
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'listen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near listen
Cite this Entry
“Listen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
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