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

While this may have been KiiiKiii’s first time in North America, their music has left a lasting impression on listeners. — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Jay’s Spotify audience has also climbed from 46 million monthly listeners in late June to more than 48 million today. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

But their show, like talk-radio shows of the past, provided a relatable, consistent voice that allowed listeners to see themselves a bit more clearly. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026

As the video comes to a close, a voiceover invites the listener to have another Garage Beer or Liquid Death Sparkling Energy drink. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above