Master confusing words with ease
Listen vs. Hear
Listen
/ˈlɪsən/Examples:
Listen! There's a strange noise in the engine.I did not understand them, but I enjoyed listening to them.Jo's face was red in the firelight as she listened.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Hear
/hɪə/Examples:
I hear voices in my head.He heard them put down some wood.He could not believe what he was hearing.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Listen requires an effort or intention to hear something, while hear is more passive and can occur without trying.
- When you listen, you actively focus your attention on the sound, whereas when you hear, sounds may come to your notice without intention.
- Listen often implies comprehension, whereas hear may just involve sound waves reaching your ears.
- If you listen to a conversation, you pay attention to whats being said. If you hear' a conversation, it might simply be happening around you.
- Though both involve sound, listening means processing and interpreting, whereas hearing might not lead to understanding.
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