50 Idioms About Listening With Meanings & Sentences
Idioms About Listening
1. Lend an ear
Meaning: To listen to someone carefully or with sympathy.
In a Sentence: I lent an ear when my friend was upset about her math test. / Can you lend an ear to this song I wrote?
Other Ways to Say: Pay attention, Be a good listener
2. Fall on deaf ears
Meaning: When advice or warnings are ignored.
In a Sentence: My teacher’s advice about studying early fell on deaf ears. / His warnings about the broken swing fell on deaf ears.
Other Ways to Say: Ignored, Not paying attention to
3. Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: To intentionally ignore something.
In a Sentence: He turned a deaf ear to the complaints. / They turned a deaf ear to the teacher’s warning.
Other Ways to Say: Refuse to listen, Ignore
4. Ears are burning
Meaning: When you feel someone is talking about you.
In a Sentence: My ears were burning—I think they were gossiping about me. / Were your ears burning? We just mentioned you.
Other Ways to Say: Being talked about, Mentioned in conversation
5. Music to my ears
Meaning: Something pleasant to hear.
In a Sentence: His compliment was music to my ears. / That good news is music to my ears.
Other Ways to Say: Delightful news, Sweet sound
6. In one ear and out the other
Meaning: When someone doesn’t remember or pay attention to what’s said.
In a Sentence: His advice went in one ear and out the other. / Kids sometimes let safety rules go in one ear and out the other.
Other Ways to Say: Not retaining, Ignoring
7. Keep your ears open
Meaning: To listen attentively.
In a Sentence: Keep your ears open for the school announcement. / I’m keeping my ears open for any news.
Other Ways to Say: Be alert, Listen carefully
8. Bend someone’s ear
Meaning: To talk a lot, especially to complain.
In a Sentence: She bent my ear about her noisy neighbors. / Don’t bend his ear too much; he’s busy.
Other Ways to Say: Talk endlessly, Complain
9. Prick up your ears
Meaning: To suddenly start listening carefully.
In a Sentence: I pricked up my ears when I heard my name. / The students pricked up their ears when the teacher said “field trip.”
Other Ways to Say: Pay sharp attention, Tune in
10. All ears
Meaning: To be fully ready to listen.
In a Sentence: Tell me what happened—I’m all ears. / I’m all ears for your idea.
Other Ways to Say: Ready to listen, Listening closely
11. Give someone a hearing
Meaning: Allow someone to speak or explain.
In a Sentence: We should give him a hearing before making a decision. / Let’s give her a hearing about her plan.
Other Ways to Say: Let someone speak, Hear someone out
12. Listen up
Meaning: A call to pay attention.
In a Sentence: Listen up, everyone! The test is next Monday. / Listen up, I have something important to say.
Other Ways to Say: Pay attention, Focus
13. On deaf ears
Meaning: When information is not accepted or understood.
In a Sentence: His suggestion fell on deaf ears. / My explanation landed on deaf ears again.
Other Ways to Say: Ignored, Not received
14. Can’t hear yourself think
Meaning: A place is too noisy to concentrate.
In a Sentence: It was so loud, I couldn’t hear myself think. / With all this noise, I can’t even hear myself think.
Other Ways to Say: Too noisy, Overwhelmed
15. Eavesdrop
Meaning: Secretly listening to someone’s conversation.
In a Sentence: He eavesdropped on our chat. / I caught her eavesdropping outside the door.
Other Ways to Say: Listen secretly, Spy on talk
16. Hard of hearing
Meaning: Difficulty in hearing.
In a Sentence: My grandpa is a bit hard of hearing. / Speak louder, she’s hard of hearing.
Other Ways to Say: Hearing loss, Can’t hear well
17. Keep your ear to the ground
Meaning: Stay informed by listening carefully.
In a Sentence: Keep your ear to the ground about new jobs. / He keeps his ear to the ground for rumors.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Stay informed
18. Give someone an earful
Meaning: To scold or tell someone off.
In a Sentence: Mom gave me an earful for breaking the vase. / He got an earful from the coach.
Other Ways to Say: Scold, Rebuke
19. A word in your ear
Meaning: A private conversation.
In a Sentence: Can I have a word in your ear about the meeting? / I’d like a quick word in your ear.
Other Ways to Say: Private talk, Whisper something
20. Talk someone’s ear off
Meaning: To talk excessively.
In a Sentence: She talked my ear off about her vacation. / Don’t let him talk your ear off again.
Other Ways to Say: Talk too much, Chatterbox
21. Keep your ear to the ground
Meaning: Stay informed about current trends or news.
In a Sentence: If you keep your ear to the ground, you’ll hear about the best job openings.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Be aware
22. Play it by ear
Meaning: To improvise or decide as things go.
In a Sentence: We don’t have a plan yet; let’s just play it by ear.
Other Ways to Say: Go with the flow, Improvise
23. Music to my ears
Meaning: Something pleasant to hear.
In a Sentence: Her compliment was music to my ears.
Other Ways to Say: Wonderful to hear, Soothing words
24. Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: Intentionally ignore something.
In a Sentence: He turned a deaf ear to the complaints.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Brush off
25. In one ear and out the other
Meaning: When information is not retained.
In a Sentence: Whatever I say goes in one ear and out the other.
Other Ways to Say: Forgotten quickly, Doesn’t register
26. Prick up your ears
Meaning: Start listening attentively.
In a Sentence: I pricked up my ears when I heard my name.
Other Ways to Say: Pay attention, Tune in
27. Bend someone’s ear
Meaning: Talk to someone for a long time.
In a Sentence: He bent my ear for an hour about his vacation.
Other Ways to Say: Chat for long, Talk someone’s head off
28. Hard of hearing
Meaning: Having difficulty hearing.
In a Sentence: Grandpa is a bit hard of hearing these days.
Other Ways to Say: Hearing-impaired, Can’t hear well
29. All ears
Meaning: Fully listening and attentive.
In a Sentence: Tell me your story—I’m all ears!
Other Ways to Say: Eager to listen, Attentive
30. Give someone a hearing
Meaning: Allow someone to speak or explain.
In a Sentence: Everyone deserves a fair hearing before being judged.
Other Ways to Say: Listen to, Let someone speak
31. Close your ears to something
Meaning: Ignore or refuse to hear something.
In a Sentence: She closed her ears to the gossip.
Other Ways to Say: Block out, Refuse to listen
32. Have an ear for music
Meaning: Ability to recognize and understand music.
In a Sentence: She has an ear for music and plays piano beautifully.
Other Ways to Say: Musically talented, Tuneful
33. Blow the whistle
Meaning: To report wrongdoing.
In a Sentence: He blew the whistle on the company’s illegal activities.
Other Ways to Say: Expose, Report
34. Listen in
Meaning: Eavesdrop on a conversation.
In a Sentence: The kids tried to listen in on the adults’ talk.
Other Ways to Say: Spy, Eavesdrop
35. Ring in your ears
Meaning: When a sound keeps echoing in your head.
In a Sentence: The firework’s bang was still ringing in my ears.
Other Ways to Say: Echoing, Buzzing
36. Ears are burning
Meaning: Feeling someone is talking about you.
In a Sentence: My ears were burning—were you talking about me?
Other Ways to Say: Being gossiped about, Thought of
37. Tune out
Meaning: To stop paying attention.
In a Sentence: I tuned out during the boring lecture.
Other Ways to Say: Zone out, Ignore
38. Listen up
Meaning: Pay close attention.
In a Sentence: Listen up, everyone! This is important.
Other Ways to Say: Focus, Pay attention
39. On deaf ears
Meaning: When no one listens.
In a Sentence: Her pleas fell on deaf ears again.
Other Ways to Say: Ignored, Dismissed
40. A word in your ear
Meaning: A quick private conversation.
In a Sentence: Can I have a word in your ear about the meeting?
Other Ways to Say: Whisper, Private chat
41. Listening with half an ear
Meaning: Not fully paying attention.
In a Sentence: He was watching TV and listening with half an ear.
Other Ways to Say: Distracted listening, Not focused
42. Can’t hear yourself think
Meaning: It’s too noisy.
In a Sentence: It’s so loud in here I can’t hear myself think!
Other Ways to Say: Extremely noisy, Loud environment
43. A sympathetic ear
Meaning: Someone willing to listen kindly.
In a Sentence: I needed a sympathetic ear after my bad day.
Other Ways to Say: Kind listener, Understanding friend
44. Pick up on
Meaning: Notice or understand something.
In a Sentence: I picked up on her change in tone.
Other Ways to Say: Catch, Notice
45. Tune in
Meaning: To start paying attention.
In a Sentence: You need to tune in during class.
Other Ways to Say: Focus, Engage
46. Have selective hearing
Meaning: Hear only what you want to hear.
In a Sentence: Kids have selective hearing when it comes to chores.
Other Ways to Say: Ignoring, Choosing what to hear
47. Take something in
Meaning: Fully understand or absorb information.
In a Sentence: It took time to take in the sad news.
Other Ways to Say: Understand, Absorb
48. Earful
Meaning: A long lecture or scolding.
In a Sentence: Mom gave me an earful after I broke the vase.
Other Ways to Say: Scolding, Long talk
49. Be all ears and no action
Meaning: Listen but not act on it.
In a Sentence: He’s all ears and no action—never follows advice.
Other Ways to Say: Doesn’t apply advice, Only listens
50. Listen to your gut
Meaning: Trust your instincts.
In a Sentence: I listened to my gut and didn’t go to that party.
Other Ways to Say: Trust your instincts, Follow intuition
