listener

noun

lis·​ten·​er ˈli-sᵊn-ər How to pronounce listener (audio)
ˈlis-nər
plural listeners
: one who listens to someone or something
a radio program with many listeners
a friend who's a good listener [=who listens attentively and sympathetically]
Fanny, being always a very courteous listener, and often the only listener at hand, came in for the complaints and distresses of most of them.Jane Austen
The average concertgoer drifts in and out of the music, often losing the thread. The listener can't always hear the music in the music, and tends to notice only the most obvious (usually the loudest) events.David Schiff

Examples of listener in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Being a fan of a cultural artifact means being a passionate reader (in a broader sense that also includes viewer, listener, audience, co-creator, and that also loosens and points out the porous border between work, creator, recipient). Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026 View Outside’s longstanding literary storytelling tradition comes to life in audio with features that will both entertain and inform listeners. Outside Online, 11 Feb. 2026 According to a 2025 Live Nation survey, 63 percent of country music listeners are Gen Z or Millennial, with Gen Z among the fastest-growing demographic of listeners. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 11 Feb. 2026 Pannakara's peace talks, given at stops along the way, have urged listeners to put down their phones and find peace within themselves. CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for listener

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of listener was in 1572

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Cite this Entry

“Listener.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listener. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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