Meaning & use

listen

verb·Everyday

To give attention to sound in order to hear and understand it.

See it in a sentence

Please listen carefully to the instructions before starting the test.

He listened to the radio while driving to work every morning.

A note on using this word

Listen implies active attention, while 'hear' can simply mean sound reaches your ears without focus.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “listen”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.