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
In these settings, sound would have been key for prey animals trying to avoid getting eaten, and for predators trying to listen for their food.
—
Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 16 July 2025
Investors will also listen for updates about Fraser’s turnaround plan.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 15 July 2025
Built to listen for clandestine nuclear bomb blasts, the globe-spanning system detects low-frequency acoustic-gravity waves.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 July 2025
Fans watching or listening to the game should listen for the very loud grunts when the Giants Robbie Ray throws a pitch.
—Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen for
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Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 16 July 2025
Investors will also listen for updates about Fraser’s turnaround plan.
—Jesse Pound, CNBC, 15 July 2025
Built to listen for clandestine nuclear bomb blasts, the globe-spanning system detects low-frequency acoustic-gravity waves.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 9 July 2025
Fans watching or listening to the game should listen for the very loud grunts when the Giants Robbie Ray throws a pitch.
—Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for listen for
Cite this Entry
“Listen for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20for. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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