Pronunciation

/ˈlɪs·ən/

Definitions

• Verb: To give one’s attention to sounds or words, especially by directing one’s ears towards a speaker or source of sound, with the intent to understand or hear something clearly. For example: “Listen carefully to what I’m saying.”
• Noun (less common): An act of listening; a hearing. For example: “She gave him a patient listen before responding.”

Verb Usage Examples

• “The children were asked to listen attentively to the teacher’s instructions.”
• “I could hear her crying, but I couldn’t listen because I was too busy.”

Noun Usage Example

• “His first public listen came after months of practice in his bedroom.”

Phrases

• “Listen up” - A command to pay close attention to what is about to be said.
• “Listen out for” - To be attentive to hear something specific, e.g., “Listen out for the postman.”
• “Listen to reason” - To consider logical arguments or advice sensibly.

Example Sentences

• Verb: “We need to listen closely to our customers’ feedback if we want to improve our service.”
• Noun: “After the concert, we sat down for a listen to the live recording.”

Synonyms

• Hear
• Pay attention
• Attend
• Heed
• Give ear
• Take heed of
• Observe (sound)