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 vibe is decidedly casual, refreshing for a beach town that has been increasingly buzzy as of late—Marram harkens to a time when surfers and artists outnumbered the beach party crowds.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
Democrats denounced the legislation as a Republican power grab that harkens back to the state’s shameful history of denying Black residents equal rights and representation.
—Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Although that is a powerful place to start, what this moment calls for is beyond any professional practice, and broadly harkens back to the precautionary principle.
—Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
Since this show premiered, people have been saying that the Real Housewives of Rhode Island harkens back to the days of classic Housewives — largely because of the cast’s organic ties and willingness to let their guards down on camera.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Linnetz’s work, both as a photographer and as a designer and stylist, often harkens back to image-making before the new millennium.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026
The Padres’ return to navy (or obsidian) harkens back to the alternate jerseys that the club wore throughout its run to the 1998 World Series.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
This practice harkens back to a time when people had to get their news by listening to the radio.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The washing of feet harkens back to how Jesus washed the feet of his apostles during the Last Supper.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026
Democrats denounced the legislation as a Republican power grab that harkens back to the state’s shameful history of denying Black residents equal rights and representation.
—Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Although that is a powerful place to start, what this moment calls for is beyond any professional practice, and broadly harkens back to the precautionary principle.
—Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
Since this show premiered, people have been saying that the Real Housewives of Rhode Island harkens back to the days of classic Housewives — largely because of the cast’s organic ties and willingness to let their guards down on camera.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Linnetz’s work, both as a photographer and as a designer and stylist, often harkens back to image-making before the new millennium.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026
The Padres’ return to navy (or obsidian) harkens back to the alternate jerseys that the club wore throughout its run to the 1998 World Series.
—Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
This practice harkens back to a time when people had to get their news by listening to the radio.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026
The washing of feet harkens back to how Jesus washed the feet of his apostles during the Last Supper.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harkens
Verb
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Frances Merrill of Reath Design takes inspiration from her client's life and listens to the home when deciding which colors to use.—
Eleni N. Gage,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2026
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Get a bike and ride across the walking bridge—in Erupcja, where Nel sits and listens to techno, or doesn’t listen to anything at all—then ride up to the public library, get STOR coffee on Tamka, and keep riding towards Królikarnia—or take it down Aleje Jerozolimskie.—
Bridget Knowles,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Their joint venture launched March 5, with a lightweight low-runner shape that harks on the core principles of minimalism, something both brands have long championed.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yenson reminds readers that the pope’s choice of name hearkens to Pope Leo XIII, who initiated modern Catholic social teaching and emphasized peace and justice.—
Kalpana Jain,
The Conversation,
13 Apr. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Harkens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harkens. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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