as in listens
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 harkens
The simple, relaxed pace of the island harkens back to a version of Florida that has been lost to development.
—
Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
The image harkens back hunters using Black children as alligator bait, a practice portrayed in old illustrations and recorded in oral histories.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
That almost harkens back to the days.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Feb. 2026
Downstairs, meanwhile, the couple has created an entertainment parlor complete with a billiards room and a pub-style wet bar that harkens back to their Irish and British heritage.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2026
The scene in San Francisco harkens to the days when a prepubescent girl leaped around the Oakland Ice Center as if nothing bothered her.
—Elliott Almond, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Both Berry and Markle’s takes on minimalist outerwear harkens back to a certain style evocative of 1990s minimalism, where playful proportions and some nods to tailoring incorporated into statement coats.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
The name harkens back to the strawberry stand that the brothers opened in 1986, when Chad was in seventh grade and Troy was in fifth.
—Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2026
Titled a serpentine, their pavilion is inspired by the crinkle crankle wall, a snaking English architecture feature that harkens back to the sinusoidal walls of Ancient Egypt.
—News Desk, Artforum, 21 Jan. 2026
Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
The image harkens back hunters using Black children as alligator bait, a practice portrayed in old illustrations and recorded in oral histories.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
That almost harkens back to the days.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Feb. 2026
Downstairs, meanwhile, the couple has created an entertainment parlor complete with a billiards room and a pub-style wet bar that harkens back to their Irish and British heritage.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2026
The scene in San Francisco harkens to the days when a prepubescent girl leaped around the Oakland Ice Center as if nothing bothered her.
—Elliott Almond, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026
Both Berry and Markle’s takes on minimalist outerwear harkens back to a certain style evocative of 1990s minimalism, where playful proportions and some nods to tailoring incorporated into statement coats.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 3 Feb. 2026
The name harkens back to the strawberry stand that the brothers opened in 1986, when Chad was in seventh grade and Troy was in fifth.
—Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 26 Jan. 2026
Titled a serpentine, their pavilion is inspired by the crinkle crankle wall, a snaking English architecture feature that harkens back to the sinusoidal walls of Ancient Egypt.
—News Desk, Artforum, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harkens
Verb
-
Know that a leader is someone who listens well and who motivates others toward greatness.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The staff of Pitchfork listens to a lot of new music.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Flip Phone Shorty, of course, hearkens to those devices of yesteryear that defined the Y2k aesthetic, which has recently been all the rage.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Eventually, the team chose Sacramento, where much of downtown still hearkens to the mid-20th century with block upon block of drab government buildings.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Harkens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harkens. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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