DictionaryAI

hear

SayHEER/hɪɚ//hɪə/

Formshears, hearing, heard

Often confused with listen

9 meanings of hear

Practice

  1. 1
    verbintransitive
    To notice a sound with your ears, or to be able to sense sounds.

    Like a radio that catches sounds from the air around it.

    After the surgery, he could hear clearly again.

    Some animals hear far better than humans do.

  2. 2
    find outverbtransitive
    To find out about something, often from another person.

    We heard the news about the layoffs late last night.

    Did you hear that the store is closing next month?

    UsageSay hear about the news, or hear that she left.

    Similarlearn, discover

  3. 3
    listenverbtransitive
    To listen carefully to someone or something, for example at a talk.

    Let's hear the new song you recorded.

    The crowd fell silent to hear the speaker.

    Note
  4. 4
    in courtverbtransitive
    To listen to a legal case in court and decide it.

    The court will hear the case next Tuesday.

    Judge Alvarez heard the appeal in the afternoon.

    UsageOften be heard: the case was heard in May.

    Similartry, consider

    Note
  5. 5
    be contactedverbintransitive
    As hear from: to get a message or call from someone.

    I hope to hear from you soon.

    We haven't heard from her since she moved away.

    UsageSay hear from someone, and look forward to hearing from you.

  6. 6
    grant prayerverbtransitive
    To listen kindly to a request and agree to it.

    The king chose to hear the petition and pardon the prisoner.

    Lord, hear our prayer.

    Similarheed, grant, consider

    Oppositeignore, reject

Less common meanings

  1. 7
    understand feelingsverbcolloquialtransitive
    To understand and care about how someone feels.

    I hear you, and I know this hasn't been easy.

    I hear you. Moving to a new city can feel really lonely.

    UsageSay I hear you to show you understand, even if you don't agree.

    Similarunderstand, get

    Oppositedismiss, ignore

  2. 8
    is that clearinterjection
    Said to demand that someone listens to and accepts what you just said.

    Stay away from my house, you hear?

    You'll finish your homework before dinner, you hear me?

    UsagePut you hear? after an order.

    Note
  3. 9
    verbintransitive
    To allow something or even think about it, said with 'of' and usually with 'not' to refuse firmly.

    I offered to pay for dinner, but my aunt wouldn't hear of it.

    Dad won't hear of me driving to the city alone.

    UsageSay I won't hear of it to say no firmly.

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of hear apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Old English "hīeran," meaning "to hear." This may go back to an old root meaning "to be sharp-eared," from words meaning "sharp" and "ear."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts