listen for
idiom
: to pay attention to sounds in order to hear (something expected)
We listened for (the sound of) his footsteps.
We saw lightning and listened for the thunder.
Examples of listen for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When a watch is issued, people in the affected area should listen for later information and possible warnings, especially when planning travel or outdoor activities.
—
Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024
Even though many experts don’t see detection methods as reliable, there are still cues that humans can listen for to tell if an audio recording is synthetic.
—Kevin Collier, NBC News, 4 Feb. 2024
Researchers set up sound monitoring stations in a variety of forested areas in Myanmar to listen for their songs.
—Ailsa Chang, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024
To truly understand the draw of Swift, Gough’s message is simple: Take a listen for yourself.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024
Ringo Starr actually covered the song and released a more energetic version in 1999 that's definitely worth a listen for your holiday playlist.
—Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 6 Nov. 2023
Additionally, listen for a distinct buzzing or humming noise produced by the drone’s motors and propellers.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024
Without condoning rude or even abusive language, listen for the core of the homeowner’s concern.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023
Just listen for that sweet, steady gurgle to get interrupted by a pop or whoosh—and set the hook.
—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024
Even though many experts don’t see detection methods as reliable, there are still cues that humans can listen for to tell if an audio recording is synthetic.
—Kevin Collier, NBC News, 4 Feb. 2024
Researchers set up sound monitoring stations in a variety of forested areas in Myanmar to listen for their songs.
—Ailsa Chang, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024
To truly understand the draw of Swift, Gough’s message is simple: Take a listen for yourself.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 11 Feb. 2024
Ringo Starr actually covered the song and released a more energetic version in 1999 that's definitely worth a listen for your holiday playlist.
—Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 6 Nov. 2023
Additionally, listen for a distinct buzzing or humming noise produced by the drone’s motors and propellers.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2024
Without condoning rude or even abusive language, listen for the core of the homeowner’s concern.
—Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Dec. 2023
Just listen for that sweet, steady gurgle to get interrupted by a pop or whoosh—and set the hook.
—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'listen for.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near listen for
Cite this Entry
“Listen for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20for. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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