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 referee’s voice is heard rarely, even on channels and in publications that normally strive to find editorial balance and know that giving both sides of a story is fair and of interest to viewers, listeners and readers. —Graham Scott, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026

That’s a collision of fandoms — figure skating fans, Laufey stans, KATSEYE devotees and PinkPantheress listeners all converging in one comments section. —Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026

This does not mean the sharer needs to accept the listener’s response. —R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026

However, the trio knew how to evolve and capitalize on likes and views, and turn them into listeners. —Pablo Monroy, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above