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

Many pagers only listen for incoming signals and do not send them. —Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2024

What can be anticipated is a busier peak season, thanks to overspill from the Paris Olympics (listen for the roars of soccer fans coming from Nice Stadium). —Chloé Braithwaite, New York Times, 25 July 2024

Here are Christian Cooper's tips for first-time birdwatchers: Be aware of your surroundings Cooper says the best way to increase your bird sightings is to be sensitive to your surroundings: listen for running water, look for undergrowth, and respect the habitat. —Madeleine Janz, Peoplemag, 9 July 2024

Cameras pick up the color of traffic lights, microphones listen for emergency vehicle sirens, and sensors help the car create a detailed 3D map of its surroundings, including other cars, passersby, and road obstructions. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 8 July 2024