listen

listen — verb

1. to focus your attention on sounds or on what someone is saying, making an effort

1.verbintransitiveA1
Definition

to focus your attention on sounds or on what someone is saying, making an effort to hear and understand rather than just hearing without trying

Example

Quinn listened to the phone ringing and then picked it up.

listen + to + object for attention to sound

The children listened to their grandfather's story about his trip to Japan.

Common collocations
  • listen carefully
  • listen closely
  • listen to music
  • listen to a conversation
  • listen for a sound
Synonyms
  • hear

    hear does not imply effort or intention; sounds simply reach your ears

  • pay attention

    broader — can mean focusing on visual things too, not just sounds

Antonyms
  • ignore

    to deliberately not listen to someone or something

  • disregard

    more formal; to pay no attention to something

Grammar Patterns

listen + to + noun/pronoun

Usage Note

Often confused with 'hear'. To hear means that sounds reach your ears without effort; to listen means you deliberately pay attention. 'Listen' is always followed by 'to' when an object is stated.

Common Mistakes

I listened the music all night.
I listened to the music all night.
'listen' needs 'to' before the object.
I was hearing to the teacher, but I did not understand.
I was listening to the teacher, but I did not understand.
'hear' is not used with 'to' and does not express deliberate attention.

2. to accept and act on what someone says, allowing their opinion, warning, or sugg

2.verbintransitiveA2
Definition

to accept and act on what someone says, allowing their opinion, warning, or suggestion to guide what you do or think

Example

Sahil's doctor told him to rest more, and he finally listened to her.

listen to + person for following advice

Andrew lost a lot of money because he did not listen to his parents.

Common collocations
  • listen to advice
  • listen to reason
  • listen to a warning
  • listen to your parents
Synonyms
  • obey

    stronger — implies following an order or rule, not just advice

  • heed

    more formal and literary; to pay careful attention to a warning or advice

  • take notice of

    slightly less strong than 'listen to'; can mean simply noticing rather than acting

Antonyms
  • ignore

    to deliberately not pay attention to advice or a warning

  • disobey

    stronger — to refuse to follow an order or rule

Grammar Patterns

listen + to + noun/pronoun

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person or group that can choose to follow guidance. Frequently used with authority figures as the object: doctor, parent, teacher, coach, expert.

Common Mistakes

I listened him but I still made my own choice.
I listened to him but I still made my own choice.
'listen' always requires 'to' before its object.
I heard my mother and stayed home.' (when meaning you followed her advice).
I listened to my mother and stayed home.
'hear' means sounds reach your ears; 'listen to' means you accept and follow advice.
Phrasal verbs

listen for

phrasal verb

To pay attention to sounds in order to hear a particular thing.

Sara listened for the doorbell while cooking dinner.

Can you listen for the baby's cry while I shower?

listen in

phrasal verb

To secretly listen to someone else's conversation.

Maya listened in on her brother's phone call.

Did you listen in when the teachers were talking?

listen out for

phrasal verb

To stay alert in order to hear a specific sound or announcement.

Listen out for the train announcement on the platform.

Diego listened out for his name during the award ceremony.

listen up

phrasal verb

Used to ask a group of people to pay attention to what you are about to say.

Listen up, everyone! The meeting starts in five minutes.

The teacher said, "Listen up, class!" before giving instructions.

listen — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Hear' is the most basic word — sounds enter your ears whether you want them to or not ('I heard a noise outside'). 'Listen' adds the idea of conscious effort and focus ('I listened carefully to the instructions'). 'Pay attention' is broader because it can refer to visual things as well ('pay attention to the road'). 'Heed' is more formal and literary, and it usually implies that you also act on what you hear ('She heeded the warning and left early'). 'Attend to' is formal and suggests careful, focused listening, often in a professional or duty context ('The doctor attended to the patient's concerns'). To choose the right word: if it is about actively using your ears with intention, use 'listen'; if sounds just happen, use 'hear'; if you want to stress that the person is observing with their full mind (not just ears), use 'pay attention'.

hear ↗pay attentionheed ↗attend to ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • listen to reason
  • listen with both ears
  • listen for a sound
  • listen in on a conversation

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishProto-GermanicProto-Indo-European

'Listen' comes from Old English 'hlystan', meaning 'to hear, pay attention'. It is related to the word 'lust' (pleasure, desire) — the original idea was listening with enjoyment or eagerness. The word travelled from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning 'to hear' through Proto-Germanic into Old English, where it took its modern form with the '-en' verb ending.