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

Now, a new study found that this works particularly well with music that evokes an emotion in the listener. —Eva Amsen, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

The skills might not apply to all policing situations in the field, but being a better listener or learning to take a breath before responding can make for better leaders, according to Tree Branch, a strategic client partner at The Second City Works. —Claudia Lauder, Christian Science Monitor, 23 June 2025

Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps urged listeners Monday to defend Johnson’s One Fair Wage ordinance and promised to push for similar pay rules countywide. —Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025

Gil Sandler told his listeners about Ethel Ennis, a female singer who missed the big time by staying in Baltimore, and who sang often at which club: a. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above