listen for
idiom
: to pay attention to sounds in order to hear (something expected)
We listened for (the sound of) his footsteps.
We saw lightning and listened for the thunder.
Examples of listen for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder.
—
Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Just listen for Mariah Carey or Vanessa Carlton.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
And 211 hotline workers in more than 15 states are trained to listen for caregiver-specific plights, among other social service needs.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 Dec. 2025
With raw lyrics, inventive production and Burns’ best vocal performance to date, How to Be Human is a must-listen for any music fans out there.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen for
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Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Just listen for Mariah Carey or Vanessa Carlton.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
And 211 hotline workers in more than 15 states are trained to listen for caregiver-specific plights, among other social service needs.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 Dec. 2025
With raw lyrics, inventive production and Burns’ best vocal performance to date, How to Be Human is a must-listen for any music fans out there.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen for
Cite this Entry
“Listen for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20for. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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