listener

noun

lis·​ten·​er ˈli-sᵊn-ər 

ˈlis-nər

plural listeners

: one who listens to someone or something

a radio program with many listeners

a friend who's a good listener [=who listens attentively and sympathetically]

Fanny, being always a very courteous listener, and often the only listener at hand, came in for the complaints and distresses of most of them.

—Jane Austen

The average concertgoer drifts in and out of the music, often losing the thread. The listener can't always hear the music in the music, and tends to notice only the most obvious (usually the loudest) events.

—David Schiff

Examples of listener in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nearly 1 million listeners are tuning in each week, parent company Audacy says, with the 25-54-year-old demo rising almost 9% during the playoff run. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 June 2026

For years, fans have wondered about the significance of the 21st of September — and why White wanted listeners to remember it. —Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026

Paired with building piano chords and a non-stop lyrical delivery, the listener gets the feeling that Rodrigo is hurtling towards something — whether that something is good or bad remains to be seen. —Ellise Shafer, Variety, 12 June 2026

These are career-defining numbers on paper, but listeners are in passive mode. —Sam Saideman, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above