hear
gb/hˈɪɹ/ us/hˈɪɹ/
A1
English
~ 300
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
Perceive sound with the ears
To notice a sound with your ears.
Usage pattern:
to hear [something/someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'hear' and 'listen'. 'Hear' is about noticing sound; 'listen' means to pay attention to it.
Synonyms
listen (Implies paying attention to sound, whereas 'hear' can happen without intention.)
Antonyms
ignore (Means to intentionally not pay attention, opposite in focus to perceiving.)
Collocations
hear a noise
|hear a voice
|hear footsteps
|hear the doorbell
Themes
daily life
|communication
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- I can hear music coming from the next room.
- She heard the baby crying in the middle of the night.
- We heard footsteps behind us.
- He could hear the birds singing outside his window.
Learner examples
- I hear a dog barking.
- She hears the phone ringing.
- We hear the teacher talking.
- He hears water running.
Verb
A2
action
2
Be told or learn of something
To learn news or information from someone or somewhere.
Usage pattern:
to hear about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes omit 'about' in 'hear about' when talking about news or events.
Synonyms
learn (Refers to gaining knowledge; 'hear' emphasizes receiving it through communication.)
Antonyms
remain unaware (Means not knowing about something, opposite of being informed.)
Collocations
hear the news
|hear about a plan
|hear from a friend
Themes
communication
|news
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Did you hear about the new restaurant opening downtown?
- I heard from John that you're moving to Canada.
- She was shocked when she heard the news.
- Have you heard what happened yesterday?
Learner examples
- I heard about your trip.
- She heard from her friend yesterday.
- We heard the news on TV.
- He heard about the game from his brother.
Verb
B2
action
3
Listen to and consider arguments
To listen carefully to what people say in an official meeting or court.
Usage pattern:
to hear [a case/appeal]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with simply 'listening'; here it implies formal consideration.
Synonyms
adjudicate (More formal and legal; includes making a judgment after hearing.)
Antonyms
dismiss (To refuse to consider a case or argument.)
Collocations
hear a case
|hear an appeal
|hear testimony
Themes
law
|meetings
|communication
Examples
- The court will hear the case next week.
- The committee heard several proposals before making a decision.
- The judge heard testimony from both witnesses.
Learner examples
- The court will hear the case tomorrow.
- The teacher will hear both sides of the story.
- The judge will hear the witness.
Verb
B1
action
4
Allow someone to speak and be listened to
To let someone talk so you can know what they think or feel.
Usage pattern:
to hear [someone out]
Synonyms
listen to ('Listen to' is broader; 'hear' in this sense often means allowing full expression before responding.)
Antonyms
interrupt (To stop someone before they finish speaking.)
Collocations
hear someone out
|hear opinions
Themes
communication
|relationships
Examples
- Please hear me out before you make a decision.
- She refused to hear his excuses.
- The manager heard all employees' complaints.
Learner examples
- Please hear me out.
- He heard her story.
- The teacher heard my question.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hear
IPA
GB/hˈɪɹ/
US/hˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
hear (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (hear)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: hear
- 3rd Person Singular: hears
- Present Participle: hearing
- Past: heard
- Past Participle: heard
Word family
Highlights
- Irregular past: heard Verb
- Irregular past participle: heard Verb
Expressions
can't hear yourself think
1/kˈænt hˈɪɹ jʊɹsˈɛlf θˈɪŋk/
idiom
informal
Too noisy to think clearly
Used when it is very noisy and hard to think or speak clearly.
Examples
- It's so loud in here I can't hear myself think!
hear from someone
1/hˈɪɹ fɹˈʌm sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
Receive communication from someone
To get a letter, email, phone call, or message from someone.
Examples
- I haven't heard from Sarah in weeks.
- You'll hear from me as soon as I have news.
hear of something/someone
1/hˈɪɹ əv səmˈɛθɪŋsˈoʊmˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Be aware of through information received
To know about something or someone because you were told or read about it.
Examples
- I've never heard of that movie before.
- Have you heard of Dr. Lee?
make yourself heard
1/mˈeɪk jʊɹsˈɛlf hˈɚd/
fixed phrase
Speak loudly enough for others to hear you clearly
To speak in a way that people can hear you clearly, especially in a noisy place.
Examples
- He had to shout to make himself heard over the crowd.