1
: to perceive or become aware of by the ear
didn't hear what she said
thought I heard them leave
2
: to gain knowledge of by hearing
heard that you were ill
4
a
law
: to give a listening to legal arguments in : to give a legal hearing to
hear a case
b
law
: to take testimony from
hear witnesses
1
: to have the capacity of perceiving sound : to be able to become aware of sound
He doesn't hear well.
2
a
: to gain information : learn
tired of hearing about his problems
b
: to receive communication
haven't heard from her lately
3
: to entertain the idea
—used in the negative
wouldn't hear of it
4
—often used in the expression Hear! Hear! to express approval (as during a speech)
Examples of hear in a Sentence
Do you hear that music?
I couldn't hear a word of what he said over all that noise.
I thought I heard him leave.
Would you turn the volume up a little? I can't hear.
I heard her in concert a few years ago.
Have you ever heard Wagner sung in English?
The committee will hear witnesses today.
I hear he's leaving town.
I don't know what happened. I'll let you know if I hear anything.
I've heard it said that smoking is bad for your health.
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond the novelty aspect of hearing an entire album played live that’s never been heard onstage, Ball feels there’s a reason Exposure still resonates.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
Now, McIlroy says that his daughter had one thought after hearing the loud cheers from the crowd.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 2 May 2025
The footage showed lights in the sky in front of the ship and the sound of explosions could be heard.
—Christopher Scicluna and Ilze Filks, USA Today, 2 May 2025
After hearing that a transgender woman from Wagner College in New York competed in a women’s fencing tournament at the University of Maryland last month, the head of the OCR launched a special investigation into both schools and threatened their access to federal funding.
—Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hear
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David Browne, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2025
Now, McIlroy says that his daughter had one thought after hearing the loud cheers from the crowd.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 2 May 2025
The footage showed lights in the sky in front of the ship and the sound of explosions could be heard.
—Christopher Scicluna and Ilze Filks, USA Today, 2 May 2025
After hearing that a transgender woman from Wagner College in New York competed in a women’s fencing tournament at the University of Maryland last month, the head of the OCR launched a special investigation into both schools and threatened their access to federal funding.
—Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hear
Cite this Entry
“Hear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hear. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hear
verb
heard
ˈhərd 
; hearing
ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
; hearing
ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
1
: to take in through the ear
hear music
also
: to have the power of taking in sound
doesn't hear well
2
: to gain knowledge of by hearing : learn
heard you're leaving
3
: to listen to : heed
hear me out
4
a
: to give a legal hearing to
hear a case
b
: to take testimony from
hear witnesses
5
a
: to get news
heard from them yesterday
b
: to have knowledge
never heard of such a thing
6
: to consider the idea
wouldn't hear of it
Medical Definition
hear
verb
heard
ˈhərd
; hearing
ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
; hearing
ˈhi(ə)r-iŋ
: to perceive or apprehend by the ear
: to have the capacity of apprehending sound
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