as in to listen
to pay attention especially through the act of hearing
young people would do well to read this wise and witty book and harken to its message
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Recent Examples of harken
In the Shiite Muslim faith, a martyr is the highest expression of honor — harkening back to the beginnings of Shiite Islam with the 7th century killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, in Karbala in what is now Iraq.
—
Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 Feb. 2025
Each event is a freak accident that harkens to Final Destination-level hijinks but aims for more black comedy.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
The Cubs are favored again, harkening back to the days when Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant were the stars and Joe Maddon held court with the media like a late-night talk-show host.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Try the North Carolina flounder — the secret to its hearty crunch is nama panko, which stays crispy to lock in flavor — with a simple green salad with zingy ginger dressing, rice topped with a smattering of furikake and even a dollop of potato salad, harkening back to Perry’s Southern roots.
—Jenny Hartley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harken
Jane Arraf, NPR, 23 Feb. 2025
Each event is a freak accident that harkens to Final Destination-level hijinks but aims for more black comedy.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Feb. 2025
The Cubs are favored again, harkening back to the days when Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant were the stars and Joe Maddon held court with the media like a late-night talk-show host.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
Try the North Carolina flounder — the secret to its hearty crunch is nama panko, which stays crispy to lock in flavor — with a simple green salad with zingy ginger dressing, rice topped with a smattering of furikake and even a dollop of potato salad, harkening back to Perry’s Southern roots.
—Jenny Hartley, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harken
Verb
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Practice suspending judgment and listening instead for understanding.—
Heather Heefner,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Why has watching and listening to D&D become so popular?—
Scott Greenstone,
NPR,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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With the ranchers’ path to compensation back open, the Court declined to rule on the big question of whether the Takings Clause on its own grants the right to be heard in federal court.—
Andrew Wimer,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Wrestling enthusiasts will also be pleased to hear that live WWE events, including SummerSlam and WrestleMania, will begin streaming on ESPN in 2026; Peacock has been their streaming home for the past five years through a deal with NBCUniversal.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harken. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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