How to Use listen in a Sentence

listen

1 of 2 verb
  • She tried to warn him of the dangers, but he wouldn't listen.
  • She listened with interest as he told her about his travels.
  • I listened as hard as I could, but I couldn't hear a word of what he said over all that noise.
  • Thank you to all those who listen and care.
    — Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Wait for the school board to listen to them.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
  • All right, listen to the child.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Above all, listen to your body.
    — Kristen Marie Beavers, The Conversation, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Most of them don’t just want to sit and listen.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Here’s how to watch and listen to tonight’s game.
    — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Ernst Franzen to listen to them.
    — Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Just be present and listen to your child — don’t put words in their mouth.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Read a lot, listened to a lot of music.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Who hasn’t sat in a bar and listened to an Elodie?
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
  • But why do our felines refuse to listen to us?
    — Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Roll down the windows and listen to the brakes.
    — Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Find someone who wants to listen to you.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
  • Watch and listen to a recap of last night’s games.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • And listen when someone tells us to look out.
    — Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Be in nature—or just listen to it.
    — Stefanie Groner, Glamour, 4 Feb. 2026
  • And that’s if your stepson listens to you.
    — James Parker, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
  • There is no greater turn on than a partner who listens and adapts.
    — Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Check it out below, and listen to the full episode here.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
  • When a guest speaker comes to class, don't just listen.
    — Gorick Ng, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The stars are calling you to listen, learn, and share.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Khalil could only listen on the phone.
    — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Take a deep breath, ask questions, and listen to what your child has to say.
    — Bridget Shirvell, Parents, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Let’s listen to those who disagree.
    — Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025
  • But doctors didn't listen at first.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Kroenke was listening from the hall.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 May 2026
  • When the time comes, listen to the whistles, the car horns, the cries in the air.
    — Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026

listen

2 of 2 noun
  • And that alone is worth the listen.
    — Air Mail, 14 Mar. 2026
  • That quote alone is worth the listen.
    — Ryan Brennan april 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026
  • For fans, the first listen was like a hard-rock cold plunge.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2026
  • Moore says that at first listen, the song may sound like a spring break fling.
    — Cindy Watts, Peoplemag, 11 Oct. 2022
  • Give those songs a listen below.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Take a listen to the best new music this week below.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Take a listen to the best new music this week below.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 5 Dec. 2025
  • Take a listen to the best new music this week below.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Houston fans will get an early listen to the setlist.
    — Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Some episodes are funny, others skew poignant and all are a great listen.
    — Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, 23 May 2022
  • His podcast on the anatomy of a deal is also well worth a listen.
    — Phil Hay, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Every tap, song start, playlist listen, search, shuffle, and pause is logged.
    — Matt Burgess, Wired, 7 Aug. 2021
  • Pence’s speech deserves a listen not just for its content but for its framing.
    — Matthew Continetti, National Review, 22 Oct. 2022
  • So why not give the pod a listen and the maxim a try to boost your summer’s success rate?
    — Pablo Goldstein, Vulture, 1 July 2021
  • Take a read — and a listen — and prepare to never look at shampoo the same way again.
    — Julie Ricevuto, Allure, 25 Nov. 2020
  • Give that song a listen and see the deluxe album’s full tracklist below.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 9 Mar. 2026
  • At first listen, the Sharonas sound a little thick and muffled in the midrange.
    — Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2022
  • Then researchers gave a modern listen to an old mystery.
    — Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Take a listen to the best new releases below.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 12 Dec. 2025
  • Give those singles a listen below.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
  • His talents take on new life on the second or third listen, more so than in the initial play-through.
    — Billboard China, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2022
  • The four of you talking in such a personal way is a moving listen.
    — A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 16 Nov. 2022
  • Watch the video above to get your exclusive first listen to the new musical.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 July 2022
  • In its place are electronic grunts, mantras, and melodies that, on first listen, seem half-finished.
    — Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The simple answer is that the record is a one-listen monster global smash.
    — Billboard Staff, Billboard, 11 Sep. 2020
  • Have a listen to multiple audio clips of the event, and judge for yourself.
    — Kristen Waggoner, National Review, 21 Mar. 2022
  • Like Parcels, this indie-pop band is a killer listen and their music just puts you in a good mood.
    — Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
  • But over several listens, the backstory starts to fall away, and the song as a whole sinks in.
    — Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 2 Nov. 2023
  • Give it a listen on its own — or as part of Spotify's Hanukkah playlist.
    — Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023
  • No surprise, Wolf hardly tipped his hand about anything at first listen.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Feb. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'listen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: