listened; listening
ˈli-sᵊn-iŋ 
ˈlis-niŋ
1
: to pay attention to sound
listen to music
2
: to hear something with thoughtful attention : give consideration
listen to a plea
3
: to be alert to catch an expected sound
listen for his step
archaic
: hear
Examples of listen in a Sentence
Verb
I listened as hard as I could, but I couldn't hear a word of what he said over all that noise.
She listened with interest as he told her about his travels.
She tried to warn him of the dangers, but he wouldn't listen.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Read a lot, listened to a lot of music.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2026
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
Despite my feelings on the movie itself, the unsettling score is something else entirely and is a strangely evocative listen.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for listen
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Verb
One of the people listening was an imposing but soft-spoken guy dressed in black, with a baseball cap nearly covering his eyes.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Read a lot, listened to a lot of music.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
Take one listen to any of Case’s albums and her fiery, feminist prose is unmistakably in line with the film’s themes, including 2025’s lovelorn Neon Grey Midnight Green.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 16 Apr. 2026
Despite my feelings on the movie itself, the unsettling score is something else entirely and is a strangely evocative listen.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for listen
Cite this Entry
“Listen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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