active listening

noun

1

: communication in which the listener exhibits attentiveness to the speaker and interest in and comprehension of what the speaker is saying through the use of various techniques such as repeating information back to the speaker or asking questions

With some variation among scholars, there are at least three components of active listening: expressing verbal and nonverbal interest in what the person is saying, paraphrasing, and asking the person to elaborate.

—Jancee Dunn

Children can have a hard time articulating what they're curious or confused about. For this reason, active listening is a critical behaviour to model. If you're confused about what you're hearing, rather than saying something like, "I don't get what you're saying," you could repeat what you heard, and then ask, "Is that what you're saying?"

—Shelbie Witte

often, specifically : such communication as practiced or directed in a professional setting (such as counseling)

Active listening is now an accepted part of therapeutic counseling practices in many schools, colleges, and clinics.

—David G. Myers

In active listening, a therapist or group leader encourages one spouse to speak … while the other silently listens; the listening spouse then echoes what was said.

—Casey Greenfield

2

: the act or practice of listening mindfully and attentively to someone or something

… a song that requires active listening. … it really only clicked for me after a few listens, when I had enough time to process all the seemingly counterintuitive moving parts.

—Shaad D'Souza

One reason people remember so little is that they don't practice active listening. They allow their minds to drift off and think of other things. They want to speak instead of listen.

—John Burstein

active listener noun

plural active listeners

Since last year, more than 100 sophomores, juniors and seniors have signed up to learn how to become active listeners … for classmates in trouble.

—Dee Anne Traitel

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 2