HARKENED Synonyms: 12 Similar and Opposite Words

harkened

verb

past tense of harken

as in listened

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 harkened Wasserman also harkened back to the 1984 Los Angeles Games, when Mayor Tom Bradley prohibited delivery trucks during peak daytime hours. — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Al’s harkened back to another era. — Gregg Olsen, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 The custom look from AWGE (fellow performer A$AP Rocky’s label) harkened back to the grunge era, pairing ripped denim with a crop top, accentuated by a flannel button-down wrapped around her waist. — John Monaco, InStyle, 9 June 2026 Moise harkened it to 2010, when at least nine candidates were vying to succeed Meek in Congress. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026 Kiddon harkened back to the early days of the La Grange post’s Memorial Day observances, which have been a tradition there for 82 years. — Hank Beckman, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026 The pasta course harkened back to springtime, with a housemade pappardelle, silky noodles tossed with the restaurant’s bacon, baby artichokes, asparagus and wild fennel. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026 The album needed a four-minute thrash song that harkened back to our first era. — Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 Semafor China Columnist Andy Browne wrote of how the meeting in Beijing harkened back to a prior, simpler era. — semafor.com, 15 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harkened

Verb

In response to the takeovers, the city has launched an office of youth affairs, met and listened to students at schools, and created a youth advisory board comprised of teens and young adults.

— Safiyah Riddle, Fortune, 25 July 2026
In Chattanooga, after Mayor Tim Kelly listened to 500 residents about youth violence, one of the municipality’s most dangerous neighborhoods went a full year without a homicide.

— William Cogswell, Time, 24 July 2026

Definition of listened

Verb

Others were in town for a convention and had heard about the giveaway, and yet others were there to show support for the new addition to downtown San Jose.

— Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 24 July 2026
In call audio released Friday, at least one gunshot can be heard in the background as a dispatcher works to get information from the caller.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026