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
For those near the team’s Northern Virginia facility on Saturday, listen for the R&D crew’s vocal, authentic reaction.
—
Ben Standig, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
During the physical examination, a healthcare provider measures your blood pressure and heart rate, listens to your heart and lungs, and may listen for sounds over the abdomen.
—Anju Goel, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2025
When in doubt, just listen for context clues and be respectful.
—Quispe López, Them, 18 Mar. 2025
The second step is to teach someone what to listen for.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen for
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Ben Standig, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
During the physical examination, a healthcare provider measures your blood pressure and heart rate, listens to your heart and lungs, and may listen for sounds over the abdomen.
—Anju Goel, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2025
When in doubt, just listen for context clues and be respectful.
—Quispe López, Them, 18 Mar. 2025
The second step is to teach someone what to listen for.
—Simon Makin, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 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 7 May. 2025.
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