listener

noun

lis·​ten·​er ˈli-sᵊn-ər 

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

So to me, what does that mean, in terms of alignment to a listener? —Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Dec. 2024

Readers of my column, and listeners to my Q&A podcast, are familiar with Yaroslav Trofimov. —Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 19 Dec. 2024

For example, if your listeners are fans of your voice, showcase that through performance content. —Sam Saideman, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024

These stories, written and produced entirely by students, moved us and our listeners. —Steve Drummond, NPR, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined above