“Hear” vs. “Listen”: What’s the Difference?

A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “hear” and “listen”

  • Hearing is a physical ability, while listening is a mental ability.
  • Hearing happens involuntarily, while listening is a voluntary action.
  • Hearing involves perceiving sound waves, while listening involves processing and understanding the meaning of those sound waves.
Communicate naturally with Engram AI proofreader

What is the definition of “hear” and “listen”?

Hear
  • The act of perceiving sound through the ears.
  • It is a passive process that occurs without conscious effort.
  • Hearing is a fundamental ability for effective communication.
Listen
  • The act of paying attention to sound intentionally.
  • It is an active process that requires conscious effort and focus.
  • Listening involves not only perceiving sound but also comprehending its meaning.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Listen” is the more popular variant on the web.
Hear
1,540,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I can hear the dog barking loudly next door.
  2. She couldn't hear the music because her headphones were not plugged in properly.
  3. Can you hear what the speaker is saying at the conference?
More popular
Listen
2,160,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. I try to listen to my favorite podcast every day during my commute.
  2. My mother always told me to listen carefully to what people are saying before responding.
  3. He ignored his doctor's advice and refused to listen to his body when it was telling him to slow down.
Want to express yourself confidently?
Engram AI proofreader helps you
communicate naturally
An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.

Related articles