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

Smith’s voice is still an instrument of formidable power and style, while this gorgeous record is an essential listen for fans of old-school country. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 15 Apr. 2024

There’s a kind of melancholic whimsy here, and lyrical poetry, which makes this song an appropriate listen for a solar eclipse. —Maria Sherman, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2024

Through introspective dialogue and thoughtful discussions with notable figures such as Will Packer, Pretty Vee, Kirk Franklin, and several others, the weekly audio series has become a popular listen for a variety of demographics. —Okla Jones, Essence, 3 Apr. 2024

When a watch is issued, people in the affected area should listen for later information and possible warnings, especially when planning travel or outdoor activities. —Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024

Even though many experts don’t see detection methods as reliable, there are still cues that humans can listen for to tell if an audio recording is synthetic. —Kevin Collier, NBC News, 4 Feb. 2024

Researchers set up sound monitoring stations in a variety of forested areas in Myanmar to listen for their songs. —Ailsa Chang, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024

To truly understand the draw of Swift, Gough’s message is simple: Take a listen for yourself. —Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024

Ringo Starr actually covered the song and released a more energetic version in 1999 that's definitely worth a listen for your holiday playlist. —Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 6 Nov. 2023