listener

noun

lis·​ten·​er ˈli-sᵊn-ər 

ˈlis-nər

plural listeners

: one who listens to someone or something

a radio program with many listeners

a friend who's a good listener [=who listens attentively and sympathetically]

Fanny, being always a very courteous listener, and often the only listener at hand, came in for the complaints and distresses of most of them.

—Jane Austen

The average concertgoer drifts in and out of the music, often losing the thread. The listener can't always hear the music in the music, and tends to notice only the most obvious (usually the loudest) events.

—David Schiff

Examples of listener in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The hard times in these songs are always harder on her female characters, and Dolly chose not to let the listener back away from that. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

The song is a lesson about the importance of empathy drained of the feel-good reassurance that might let the listener off the hook. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Each of his musical pieces tells a story that guides the listener throughout the album, making each listen a unique journey. — Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2026

Several listeners wrote to us to ask about the tax implications of one of these deals. — Vito Emanuel, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above