Better word for not listening

Occasionally, we come across folks that don’t listen – whether in a general sense, to proper instruction or advice. This can be frustrating and to make matters worse, we may not have been aware of an appropriate term to refer to this person as. Therefore, this article will explore said terms.

What Do You Call A Person Who Doesn’t Listen?

There are many terms that can adequately depict or describe a person who doesn’t listen. However, for the purposes of this article, we will be going over the following terms:

  • Stubborn
  • Inattentive
  • Bullheaded
  • Heedless
  • A Know-It-All
  • Ignorant
  • Obstinate
  • Contrary
  • Oblivious
  • Distracted

Words For A Person Who Doesn’t Listen

The preferred version that we will highlight is “stubborn”. This is because the word “stubborn” accurately describes someone who is not willing to listen or change their ways. Someone can be stubborn in terms of accepting advice or instructions, being sure that their way is correct, despite being told otherwise.

Stubborn

Cambridge Dictionary defines “stubborn” as a person who is determined to do what he or she wants and refuses to do anything else. Because of this, we often consider a “stubborn” individual to be so set in their ways, they often don’t care what others have to say.

They often openly negate advice or instruction, sometimes coming across as petulant or rude. This is someone who is generally determined to prove that their actions, attitude or beliefs are correct.

Here are a few examples that showcase the use of this term in a sentence:

  • My sister and I are both considerably stubborn, so we often butt heads very easily.
  • They constantly have huge arguments because they are equally stubborn and unwilling to hear one another out.
  • He is not learning from his mistakes, nor is he receptive towards instruction and that’s left us all feeling like he’s too stubborn to work here.

Inattentive

Cambridge Dictionary defines “inattentive” as not giving attention to someone or something. Therefore, we can say that someone who is “inattentive” is not being a good listener. This is often someone who daydreams as opposed to listening in class, at work, etc.

At the same time, we can also say an “inattentive” individual, does not listen nor pay close attention to the needs of others.

To further clarify the proper use of this term, here are some examples:

  • She comes to class on time every day, however, she is generally inattentive and bored. I believe she would do better if she were to move up a grade level.
  • He was inattentive in his relationship, which caused an abundance of resentment from his girlfriend.
  • I was disappointed by the inattentive service and the quality of the food at the new restaurant in town.

Bullheaded

Cambridge Dictionary defines a “bullheaded” person as being very determined to do what they want to do, especially without considering other people’s feelings. Because of this, we often think of someone who is “bullheaded” as being a fairly awful listener or difficult to teach.

This is not someone who is willing to take advice, even from a knowledgeable person. Often, a “bullheaded” person will merely walk away mid-conversation or become frustrated when being spoken to about something they don’t want to hear.

Some examples that highlight the use of this particular term are:

  • My dog is so bullheaded; he’s very difficult to train and doesn’t have good recall.
  • He has a bullheaded belief that he’s always right, even when there is factual evidence stating otherwise.
  • My mom is so bullheaded when it comes to what she expects of me and my schooling.

Heedless

Cambridge Dictionary defines “heedless” as not giving attention to risk or possible difficulty. Often, we consider a person who is “heedless” to negate careful warning and advice. This is a reckless individual, who generally does not listen to the words of their parents, authority figures, etc.

When someone is “heedless” they do not want to listen to the opinions of others. They march to the beat of their own drum, often at the detriment of others’ feelings, stress, etc.

Here are various examples that showcase the use of this term in a sentence:

  • He was heedless to the warnings of his parents and teachers alike and entirely unwilling to change his reckless patterns. Heedless of the hurricane warnings, they decided to take their fishing boat out into the water.
  • She never listened to authority figures and was heedless to the warnings of the judge. This caused her to disobey her parole orders.

A Know-It-All

Cambridge Dictionary defines “a know-it-all” as a person who thinks that they know much more than other people. This is someone who behaves as if they are all-knowing and because of this, they do not need to listen to anything that other people have to say.

A “know-it-all” generally feels as if the advice, opinion, or factual information provided by other people is redundant – regardless of the legitimacy.

For additional information on the proper use of this term, here are a few examples:

  • My boyfriend’s father is the biggest know-it-all you could ever meet. I can’t get a word in edgewise, as he always cuts me off.
  • Our teaching assistant is such a know-it-all. One time she was genuinely wrong and I kindly corrected her and she nearly bit my head off!
  • I have a tendency to be a bit of a know-it-all, so I’m working on my active listening skills.

Ignorant

Cambridge Dictionary defines an “ignorant” person as not having enough knowledge, understanding or information about something. Despite this, an “ignorant” person commonly refutes the opinions or factual information presented by others. This is someone that despite their lack of knowledge, doesn’t listen to others.

We often also equate someone who is “ignorant” to be rude and discourteous. They are often difficult to communicate with, as they often don’t care what you have to say.

Here are a few examples that show the appropriate use of this term:

  • He was an ignorant individual, that his classmates often found impossible to speak with.
  • She was ignorant of the beliefs of others and unwilling to listen to another point of view.
  • They were entirely ignorant to the indisputable facts of evolution, merely because of their religious faith.

Obstinate

Cambridge Dictionary defines “obstinate” as unreasonably determined, especially to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says. Because of this, we often view an “obstinate” individual as someone who is unwilling to listen to anything that someone else has to say.

Despite our best attempts to speak to this person, someone who is “obstinate” is so focused on their train of thought or their ways of doing things, they generally don’t care.

Some examples that functionally use this term in a sentence are:

  • He can be overwhelmingly obstinate at times, which puts a lot of strain on our relationship.
  • She has an obstinate refusal to compromise and she never wants to listen to the opinions of others.
  • She has an obstinate determination to become a lawyer and I doubt that anyone could get in her way.

Contrary

Cambridge Dictionary defines “contrary” as the opposite or a person who wants to disagree with and annoy other people. Therefore, we often see “contrary” people as those who always do the opposite of what we tell them or advise them to do.

At the same time, someone who is “contrary” often disagrees purposely in order to create a conflict, as they often thrive or get pleasure out of it.

To further clarify this term, we will go over the following examples:

  • She acts contrary to the beliefs and advice of her peers, often making her seem like a terrible listen.
  • He doesn’t really mean it – he’s just trying to be contrary to get under your skin.
  • Contrary to popular opinion, I do not dye my hair or get lip injections. I’m a very natural person!

Oblivious

Cambridge Dictionary defines “oblivious” as not conscious of something, especially of what is happening around you. Because of this, we generally consider someone who is “oblivious” to be a very poor listener. They often ignore you or don’t seemingly care for what you’re saying, without intentionally doing so.

An “oblivious” individual often entirely misses the point of a conversation, which is often at their own detriment.

Some various examples that show this term in a sentence are:

  • She was so absorbed in her work; she was oblivious to her friends inviting her out to dinner.
  • He was oblivious to how his actions were affecting his wife, despite her best attempts to explain it to him.
  • Occasionally, I can be entirely oblivious to when someone is talking to me because I am a frequent daydreamer.

Distracted

Cambridge Dictionary defines “distracted” as nervous or confused because you are worried about something. Therefore, we can generally equate a very “distracted” individual as someone who is not going to be the best listener. This may be unintentional, but it is a result of being so “distracted”.

When someone is “distracted” they are often too consumed in their own thoughts to be concerned about the goings-on of others. They are often too “distracted” to functionally hold a conversation.

Lastly, we will go over our final examples for this article:

  • He seems very distracted today – I think he is worried about his father who is in the hospital.
  • She seems too distracted with herself to ever be concerned about her boyfriend’s feelings and it is ruining their relationship.
  • I used to wonder why my parents got a divorce when I was younger, but my father explained to me that my mother was far too distracted with her career to care for him or her children.

You may also like: 10 Words For Someone Who Listens To Your Problems

martin lassen dam grammarhow

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.

Whats the word used for, people who don’t listen to what people say and think of only what they want to say?

I think its definition also says those who think of themselves higher than others.

asked Nov 22, 2015 at 4:25

visc's user avatar

3

Not a single word, but this is similar to the phrase «Talking past each other»

Talking past each other is an English phrase meaning two or more people talking about different subjects, while they believe that they are talking about the same thing.

Wikipedia

If the interlocutor is asking a question, it can be thought of as a case of «question dodging»

Question dodging is the intentional avoidance of answering a question.

Wikipedia

answered Aug 23, 2016 at 15:04

Aaron's user avatar

AaronAaron

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While I’m not sure if there’s one specific word to encompass it (perhaps inattentive?), inactive and selective listening are the broader communication terms (as opposed to active and reflective listening — which are great skills to have).

Selective Listening: «You hear only what you want to hear. You hear
some of the message and immediately begin to formulate your reply or
second guess the speaker without waiting for the speaker to finish.»

Inactive Listening: «You hear the words, but your mind is wandering
and no communication is taking place.»

So the person doing this may be a selective listener.

answered Dec 23, 2015 at 11:20

Julia's user avatar

JuliaJulia

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A ‘snob’ is generally a person who looks down upon people who are below him. But I don’t think that was the word you were looking for.

Here, you can say that the person was patronizing and turned a deaf ear to what other had to say.

patronize

verb
1.
treat with an apparent kindness which betrays a feeling of superiority.

Alternative words: Condescending.

answered Nov 23, 2015 at 10:40

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SophiaSophia

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The first word that comes to my mind is «myopic». It’s a word comes from the eye condition called «myopia» meaning near-sighted. It is sometimes used to describe a person who lives his life as is he had «blinders» or «blinkers» on: a person who sees life selectively.

Such a person might also be described as «egocentric»: having little or no regard for interests, beliefs, or attitudes other than one’s own; self-centered.

answered Feb 1, 2016 at 17:39

Neil Donovan's user avatar

domineering / self-asserting / self-centred

All from ODO:

domineer
VERB
[NO OBJECT] (usually as adjective domineering)

Assert one’s will
over another in an arrogant way:

Cathy had been a martyr to her gruff, domineering husband

self-assertion
NOUN
[MASS NOUN]

The confident and forceful expression or promotion of oneself, one’s views, or one’s desires:

her self-assertion was born from a confident determination to succeed

the occasion became one of national self-assertion

self-centred
ADJECTIVE

Preoccupied with oneself and one’s affairs: he’s far too self-centred
to care what you do

Community's user avatar

answered Aug 23, 2016 at 18:14

alwayslearning's user avatar

alwayslearningalwayslearning

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phrase

to refuse to listen to something, usually something bad

phrase

to not listen to what someone is saying or not listen to a sound

phrase

to not listen to a noise or sound

phrase

to refuse to listen to someone or get involved in something

1 given to resisting authority or another’s control

  • the manager worried that the recalcitrant employee would try to undermine his authority

  • balky,
  • contrary,
  • contumacious,
  • defiant,
  • disobedient,
  • froward,
  • incompliant,
  • insubordinate,
  • intractable,
  • obstreperous,
  • rebel,
  • rebellious,
  • recusant,
  • refractory,
  • restive,
  • ungovernable,
  • unruly,
  • untoward,
  • wayward,
  • willful
  • (or wilful)

  • noncooperative,
  • uncooperative
  • adamant,
  • adamantine,
  • dogged,
  • hardheaded,
  • headstrong,
  • immovable,
  • implacable,
  • inflexible,
  • mulish,
  • negativistic,
  • obdurate,
  • obstinate,
  • opinionated,
  • peevish,
  • pertinacious,
  • pigheaded,
  • rigid,
  • self-willed,
  • stubborn,
  • unbending,
  • uncompromising,
  • unrelenting,
  • unyielding
  • fractious,
  • uncontrollable,
  • unmanageable,
  • wild
  • perverse,
  • resistant,
  • wrongheaded
  • discourteous,
  • disrespectful,
  • ill-bred,
  • ill-mannered,
  • ill-natured,
  • impertinent,
  • impolite,
  • impudent,
  • inconsiderate,
  • insolent,
  • ornery,
  • rude,
  • uncivil,
  • uncouth,
  • ungracious,
  • unmannerly

  • acquiescent,
  • agreeable,
  • amiable,
  • cooperative,
  • deferential,
  • obliging
  • behaved,
  • disciplined,
  • well-bred
  • courteous,
  • polite,
  • respectful
  • kowtowing,
  • obsequious,
  • servile,
  • slavish,
  • subservient
  • decorous,
  • mannerly,
  • orderly,
  • proper
  • controllable,
  • governable,
  • manageable,
  • trainable

2 given to resisting control or discipline by others

  • a heart-to-heart talk with the recalcitrant youth revealed that he had a troubled life at home

  • froward,
  • headstrong,
  • incontrollable,
  • intractable,
  • refractory,
  • uncontrollable,
  • ungovernable,
  • unmanageable,
  • unruly,
  • untoward,
  • wayward,
  • willful
  • (or wilful)

  • bullheaded,
  • contrary,
  • difficult,
  • hardheaded,
  • incorrigible,
  • intransigent,
  • mulish,
  • obdurate,
  • obstinate,
  • opinionated,
  • perverse,
  • pigheaded,
  • self-willed,
  • stiff,
  • stiff-necked,
  • stubborn
  • undisciplined,
  • unpunished
  • boisterous,
  • irrepressible,
  • rambunctious,
  • rowdy
  • disobedient,
  • indocile,
  • insubordinate,
  • rebellious

  • docile,
  • obedient,
  • well-behaved
  • compliant,
  • placable,
  • pliable,
  • submissive,
  • yielding
  • accepting,
  • persuadable,
  • receptive,
  • responsive,
  • willing
  • reasonable,
  • temperate,
  • trainable

  • Meanings
  • Synonyms
  • Sentences

Not submissive to authority.

Has a history of insubordinate behavior.

adjective

Not submitting to authority; intractable, insolent, disobedient, etc.

adjective

noun

The definition of insubordinate is someone who is not submissive to authority or that is not following orders.

When you talk back to your boss and refuse to do what he has asked you to, this is an example of when you are insubordinate.

adjective

Rebellious or defiant to authority.

adjective

adjective

What is another word for not listen?

63 synonyms found

Pronunciation:

[ nˌɒt lˈɪsən], [ nˌɒt lˈɪsən], [ n_ˌɒ_t l_ˈɪ_s_ə_n]

Table of Contents

Similar words for not listen:
Opposite words for not listen:

  • •disobey (verb)
    • defy,
    • balk,
    • contravene,
    • rebel,
    • object,
    • neglect,
    • set aside,
    • ignore,
    • withstand,
    • revolution,
    • differ,
    • desert,
    • evade,
    • strike,
    • flout,
    • transgress,
    • dare,
    • run riot,
    • resist,
    • overstep,
    • break rules,
    • counteract,
    • riot,
    • go counter to,
    • insurrect,
    • violate,
    • decline,
    • misbehave,
    • revolutionize,
    • revolt,
    • be remiss,
    • infringe,
    • recalcitrate,
    • not heed,
    • rise in arms,
    • shirk,
    • take law into own hands,
    • disagree,
    • fly in face of,
    • mutiny,
    • pay no attention to,
    • not mind.
  • •disobey •Other relevant words: •Other relevant words (noun):
    • pass over,
    • be caught out,
    • wink at,
    • scoff at,
    • not conform,
    • break the law,
    • be inattentive,
    • be unwary,
    • connive at,
    • pass by,
    • be blind to,
    • make light of,
    • set at naught.
    • disobey
      aid, behave, submit, observe, harmonize, obey, help, consent, agree, comply, DO, conform, support, accept, concur, regard, go along, oblige, assist.
Word to describe «to hear but not listen». Options

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satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 3:50:08 AM

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I posed this question on one of the many English language forums which abound in the Internet. It appears that there is no single word (even a loanword) that can answer my question.

The word «overhear» means «to hear by accident».

What is the word that can describe «to hear but not listen«? Or is there any such word (loanword or otherwise) at all that can be used to effectively describe such a situation?

Back to top Drag0nspeaker
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 4:24:03 AM

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Well, really, the word ‘hear‘ is the correct term.

«Listen» means a deliberate

active

concentration of attention on sound, like ‘hearken’, ‘heed’, attend’, ‘eavesdrop’.

«Hear» is the only word which means be aurally aware of, but not attentive to.

This is why the modern ‘brush off acknowledgement’ is so galling to most people — «I hear you».
It means «I am aware of the sound of your voice, but I’m not paying attention.»

Back to top thar
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 4:48:12 AM

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It is very easy to see things but not notice them. There is active and passive.

It is very hard to hear things but not listen to them. For example overhearing something — it is not a choice , it just happens.

If you do ‘switch it off’ you tend to block it completely — you don’t hear it.
Unless you are talking more about the difference between hearing and really paying attention to something.

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 5:03:53 AM

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thar wrote:

It is very easy to see things but not notice them. There is active and passive.

It is very hard to hear things but not listen to them. For example overhearing something — it is not a choice , it just happens.

If you do ‘switch it off’ you tend to block it completely — you don’t hear it.
Unless you are talking more about the difference between hearing and really paying attention to something.

The determinant is the word «attention». With attention, the act of «hearing» becomes «listening». Therefore, the very act of not paying attention could be said to be «inattentiveness».

But can «inattentiveness» be only attached to «hearing but not listening»? To me, this appears to be somewhat a blanket term which also includes haptic, ocular, and olfactory senses.

Back to top sureshot
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 7:05:34 AM
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satadru sengupta wrote:

I posed this question on one of the many English language forums which abound in the Internet. It appears that there is no single word (even a loanword) that can answer my question.

The word «overhear» means «to hear by accident».

What is the word that can describe «to hear but not listen«? Or is there any such word (loanword or otherwise) at all that can be used to effectively describe such a situation?

___________________________________

There are a variety of meanings attached to the word «hear». I’ll restrict myself to your intended sense. «Hear» is to be aware that a sound is being made, using your ears. The word «hear» should not be confused with «listen to», which means » to hear and pay attention to». So, when you say «to hear but not listen» the inference is that you are aware of the sound/communication but are not prepared to consider what someone says and accept his/her advice and thereafter act upon it. In my opinion, there is no single word that encompasses both these actions.

However, the situation of hearing and not listening (= paying attention to the advice) can be explained idiomatically. Depending on the situation, here are a few options:

(1) turn a deaf ear (to something): It means «to be unwilling to listen to what someone is saying or asking»:
— The owner of the factory turned a deaf ear to the demands of the workers.

(2) won’t/wouldn’t hear of it: It is used to say that you refuse to agree with a suggestion or proposal:
— I said we should go back, but Lewis wouldn’t hear of it.

Some more words, phrases and idioms are:

Disregard, brush aside/away/off, pooh-pooh the advice/idea, look the other way, pay no heed to, laughed off, shut eyes to, pay no mind, sneeze at, pay no attention to, turn your nose up (at something)

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 7:19:06 AM

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Thank you for your response. It may not be obvious, but I wasn’t actually looking for idioms to act in place of a word that could be used to describe, or indeed encapsulate, the description.

While on the surface such a word may not appear in «regular» dictionaries, I am sure there could be a word yet. I am not prepared to jump straight to the conclusion formed by your opinion without having exhausted all possibilities. Nevertheless, your inputs enrich the question. Of that there is no doubt.

Back to top jacobusmaximus
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 7:28:21 AM

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In the New Testament there is a word for hearing, but not listening. In Matthew 13:9 Jesus says, «…..Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand….» Jesus was referring to people who knew who Jesus was and the importance of his words, but who chose not to listen. They were not hearing some obscure foreign language and deciding it was above their heads and probably not relevant to them anyway. They were deliberately ignoring what was being said because they just didn’t want to be bothered. They could hear, but chose not to listen — to not pay attention.

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 7:45:27 AM

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jacobusmaximus wrote:

In the New Testament there is a word for hearing, but not listening. In Matthew 13:9 Jesus says, «…..Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand….» Jesus was referring to people who knew who Jesus was and the importance of his words, but who chose not to listen. They were not hearing some obscure foreign language and deciding it was above their heads and probably not relevant to them anyway. They were deliberately ignoring what was being said because they just didn’t want to be bothered. They could hear, but chose not to listen — to not pay attention.

Up until now, the point of focus was on the general lack of attention to what was being said.

Your reply throws another characteristic feature at the definition. The deliberate act of not paying attention.

Back to top Ash_Lingua
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 10:27:32 AM

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The closest word I can think of to convet the meaning of «to hear and not listen» is ‘ignore’.

Back to top foolofgrace
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 10:38:04 AM

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I can’t find a word, either, though it does seem to need one. You might have to make one up, such as dis-hear. I heard once there was a guy in prison in England who contributed many words to one of the famous English dictionaries, I think the Oxford. I also heard, a long time ago, that if a word appeared in print three times, it was officially a «word.»

Anyway, good luck!

Back to top Hope123
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 12:45:25 PM

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It depends upon which interpretation you mean.

Overlook — or ignore, neglect, disregard.

When my husband does it to me I call it selective hearing. Whistle

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/thesaurus-category/american/to-ignore-something-or-to-not-pay-attention

Edit — Dragon, when we use «I hear you», we mean we understand and empathize, even sympathize. That is the opposite to your meaning. I will have to remember that on here!

Back to top Passion for phonics
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 12:53:41 PM
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I use either “heedless” or “unmindful.»

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 12:59:02 PM

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The descriptions of the words in the link given by you, give a general sense. These do not, however, appear to be a close fit to the very act of hearing.

As for the «selective hearing» part, it is a deliberate act. What if, it wasn’t deliberate. What if, it was accidental, unintended if you will. What then?

Further, I am looking for a single word, even a loan word.

Back to top jacobusmaximus
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 1:00:32 PM

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foolofgrace wrote:

I can’t find a word, either, though it does seem to need one. You might have to make one up, such as dis-hear. I heard once there was a guy in prison in England who contributed many words to one of the famous English dictionaries, I think the Oxford. I also heard, a long time ago, that if a word appeared in print three times, it was officially a «word.»

Anyway, good luck!

Didn’t Hilary Clinton coin a word when she said she ‘mis-spoke’? So we could ‘mis-hear’. Yes?

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 1:01:42 PM

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Passion for phonics wrote:

I use either “heedless” or “unmindful.»

Again, one may be heedless or unmindful of ocular, haptic, or even olfactory stimuli. These are not specific to the context of aural perception.

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 1:16:27 PM

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jacobusmaximus wrote:

foolofgrace wrote:

I can’t find a word, either, though it does seem to need one. You might have to make one up, such as dis-hear. I heard once there was a guy in prison in England who contributed many words to one of the famous English dictionaries, I think the Oxford. I also heard, a long time ago, that if a word appeared in print three times, it was officially a «word.»

Anyway, good luck!

Didn’t Hilary Clinton coin a word when she said she ‘mis-spoke’? So we could ‘mis-hear’. Yes?

Seems like the word was around since the 14th century Drool
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misspeak

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 1:28:03 PM

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jacobusmaximus wrote:

foolofgrace wrote:

I can’t find a word, either, though it does seem to need one. You might have to make one up, such as dis-hear. I heard once there was a guy in prison in England who contributed many words to one of the famous English dictionaries, I think the Oxford. I also heard, a long time ago, that if a word appeared in print three times, it was officially a «word.»

Anyway, good luck!

Didn’t Hilary Clinton coin a word when she said she ‘mis-spoke’? So we could ‘mis-hear’. Yes?

I think you came quite close to what I am searching for.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mishear

transitive verb: to hear wrongly

However, the person may have failed to hear correctly what was being said because of one or more factors, and not necessarily because he/she has been inattentive.

Back to top Dreamy
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 3:47:14 PM

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satadru sengupta wrote:

I posed this question on one of the many English language forums which abound in the Internet. It appears that there is no single word (even a loanword) that can answer my question.

The word «overhear» means «to hear by accident».

What is the word that can describe «to hear but not listen«? Or is there any such word (loanword or otherwise) at all that can be used to effectively describe such a situation?


I day-dream while people speak, and when asked for a response have to admit I wasn’t listening.

I think of this as «dissening».

Do you speak in tongues, satadru?

Back to top Romany
Posted:
Friday, January 15, 2016 4:10:41 PM
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I usually use the word «oblivious» in those kinds of situations e.g.

«I know you’ve already explained — but please could you do it again? I was oblivious the first time.»

«YOU talk to her! I talk to her morning, noon and night but she’s just oblivious to everything that comes out of my mouth, these days. At least she listens to you.»

Back to top jacobusmaximus
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Friday, January 15, 2016 5:26:22 PM

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satadru sengupta wrote:

jacobusmaximus wrote:

foolofgrace wrote:

I can’t find a word, either, though it does seem to need one. You might have to make one up, such as dis-hear. I heard once there was a guy in prison in England who contributed many words to one of the famous English dictionaries, I think the Oxford. I also heard, a long time ago, that if a word appeared in print three times, it was officially a «word.»

Anyway, good luck!

Didn’t Hilary Clinton coin a word when she said she ‘mis-spoke’? So we could ‘mis-hear’. Yes?

Seems like the word was around since the 14th century Drool
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misspeak

I guess I missed it first time round! Really, I had never heard the word before and I thought it was an Americanism. Every day is a school day!

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Saturday, January 16, 2016 12:05:40 AM

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Dreamy wrote:

satadru sengupta wrote:

I posed this question on one of the many English language forums which abound in the Internet. It appears that there is no single word (even a loanword) that can answer my question.

The word «overhear» means «to hear by accident».

What is the word that can describe «to hear but not listen«? Or is there any such word (loanword or otherwise) at all that can be used to effectively describe such a situation?


I day-dream while people speak, and when asked for a response have to admit I wasn’t listening.

I think of this as «dissening».

Do you speak in tongues, satadru?

Could you expand on what you said? I could find no meaning for the word «dissening». Although, the word «diss» does make sense.

If that isn’t a rhetorical question, the answer to that would be: no, I do not speak in tongues.

Back to top Hope123
Posted:
Saturday, January 16, 2016 1:21:52 AM

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Hi Ss. .

To hear and really pay attention is to hearken. Old-fashioned. (Hark, the herald angels sing.)

So if it has to be only one word, and has to be connected to the specific sense of hearing, and has to be negative, I guess the opposite would be to «unhearken». Whistle Whistle

Edited to add —

Or «Underhear»?

I am being facetious, but there are many reasons why we hear but don’t pay attention, and unless one knows the context, one cannot choose just one word.

The human brain filters out all kinds of extraneous noises constantly and for many reasons allows some but not others to reach the brain. We hear but don’t pay attention. For instance it would drive us crazy if we heard every sound in an airport. It is why people with hearing aids often leave a party — the aid picks up all the noises and it gets to the person after a while.

A sleeping mother will not hear a loud noise, but will hear every soft sound her newborn baby makes. She is attuned to the noises the baby makes.

When we hear or see and are not attentive or not attuned, we ignore or overlook the sense’s input. But those words do not meet your criterion of being specifically for the sense of hearing. They are what the brain does with the data gathered by all the senses. And there are positive words to hear and also listen but it is the negative that has no single word as a synonym.

That is why we have the word ‘not’, I guess.

Back to top satadru sengupta
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Saturday, January 16, 2016 1:27:17 AM

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Hope123 wrote:

To hear and really pay attention is to hearken. Old-fashioned. (Hark, the herald angels sing.)

So if it has to be only one word, and has to be connected to the specific sense of hearing, and has to be negative, I guess the opposite would be to «unhearken». Whistle Whistle

Sadly there isn’t one.

Back to top Hope123
Posted:
Saturday, January 16, 2016 1:53:56 AM

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Ss. We use this smiley Whistle Whistle to mean that what we are saying is ‘tongue-in-cheek’ or a joke.

Back to top satadru sengupta
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Saturday, January 16, 2016 2:38:04 AM

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Hope123 wrote:

Ss. We use this smiley Whistle Whistle to mean that what we are saying is ‘tongue-in-cheek’ or a joke.

My response was to clear any lingering doubts that one may harbor.

Back to top Dreamy
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Saturday, January 16, 2016 4:25:01 PM

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satadru sengupta wrote:

Dreamy wrote:

I day-dream while people speak, and when asked for a response have to admit I wasn’t listening.

I think of this as «dissening».

Do you speak in tongues, satadru?

Could you expand on what you said? I could find no meaning for the word «dissening». Although, the word «diss» does make sense.

If that isn’t a rhetorical question, the answer to that would be: no, I do not speak in tongues.


I’m of Franco-Germanic Anglo-Saxon ethnicity but the last 4 generations of my line have lived in Australia and New Zealand where I am classed as a European New Zealander.

We know that people speak languages using words that have meanings commonly agreed upon, but moving around the country as a child and changing schools I found words and catch phrases being used in ways I was unfamiliar with.

A new friend went to a shop and bought some sweets and then asked me if I wanted «some chores». I thought he was asking me if I wanted to help him do some odd jobs, but it transpired that «chaws» was a colloquialism derived from «chews» and that he was in fact asking me if I wanted some sweets.

Similarly «dissening» isn’t a word in the public vocabulary but one that comes to mind and rolls off the tongue when I am hearing but not listening, so dissening.

Back to top Romany
Posted:
Saturday, January 16, 2016 5:58:43 PM
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Hope —

You said: «When we hear or see and are not attentive or not attuned, we ignore or overlook the sense’s input.»

THAT’S the reason I use «oblivious» (above). (And I do use it. Frequently. Because I’m rather prone to drifting from what’s being said to something else entirely. My kind friends call it ‘being off with the fairies again.» My plainer-speaking friends call it other things). We register the fact that someone is speaking, but our brain overlooks what is actually being said in order to focus attention on something.

We’re aware that someone is speaking — we hear them. We just don’t decode what they are saying — we don’t listen. So we’re oblivious to what’s being said.

Back to top satadru sengupta
Posted:
Sunday, January 17, 2016 5:42:52 AM

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Dreamy wrote:

satadru sengupta wrote:

Dreamy wrote:

I day-dream while people speak, and when asked for a response have to admit I wasn’t listening.

I think of this as «dissening».

Do you speak in tongues, satadru?

Could you expand on what you said? I could find no meaning for the word «dissening». Although, the word «diss» does make sense.

If that isn’t a rhetorical question, the answer to that would be: no, I do not speak in tongues.


I’m of Franco-Germanic Anglo-Saxon ethnicity but the last 4 generations of my line have lived in Australia and New Zealand where I am classed as a European New Zealander.

We know that people speak languages using words that have meanings commonly agreed upon, but moving around the country as a child and changing schools I found words and catch phrases being used in ways I was unfamiliar with.

A new friend went to a shop and bought some sweets and then asked me if I wanted «some chores». I thought he was asking me if I wanted to help him do some odd jobs, but it transpired that «chaws» was a colloquialism derived from «chews» and that he was in fact asking me if I wanted some sweets.

Similarly «dissening» isn’t a word in the public vocabulary but one that comes to mind and rolls off the tongue when I am hearing but not listening, so dissening.

Thank you for sharing your childhood experience. But why did this word come to your mind at all? Was it, as if it were an antonym for «listening»? Did this word form, in your mind, from the Latin prefix «dis-«?

Back to top Hope123
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Sunday, January 17, 2016 8:14:06 AM

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Romany,

To me, oblivious would mean that you don’t even hear them. (As when people in the supermarket or on the highway are oblivious that there might even be someone else in the aisles or on the road. One «runs into them» a lot, pun intended.) What you describe to me IMHO would be being distracted — thinking about something else instead of paying attention.

As I said before, hearing but not listening can occur for many reasons and motives and that is probably why we don’t have a word and must go with not paying attention. We may be doing it on purpose or it may be unintentional. Hence ignore or distractible. (Or other words mentioned.)

Most humans during a conversation are only «half-listening» to the speaker as they are thinking of what they themselves can respond instead of what the speaker is saying — what they are saying not only with their words but with body language.

I used «listening» exercises with my students to teach them how to actually listen. And people who learn to listen to others not only learn a lot, but are better liked. A basic human need is to be heard, which people who have learned the art of listening are providing to the speaker when they «listen with all their senses».

We have had other discussions on TFD where someone wants one word to suffice to explain a concept and we don’t have a single word in English. And often it is because we have a positive word but there is not a negative word — such as unlisten or under-listen or half-listen. And one cannot unhear something — once you’ve heard it, you’ve heard it.

Back to top bosavi
Posted:
Thursday, July 5, 2018 3:26:35 PM
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I believe the word you may be looking for is INATTENTIVE — Not paying attention M-W Dictionary.

Back to top Drag0nspeaker
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Friday, July 6, 2018 1:49:48 AM

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bosavi wrote:

I believe the word you may be looking for is INATTENTIVE — Not paying attention M-W Dictionary.

Hi bosavi. Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the good idea (though I don’t think satandru sengupta still visits this forum).

The original question was looking for a verb — «to hear but not listen».

What do you think?
To inattend?
To unattend?
To disattend?

I think ‘inattend’ would be the most exact in meaning.

Back to top Users browsing this topic Guest

We should be reminded that listening is just as valuable as speaking since communication is a two-way process. And in order to understand each other, both sides must make an effort to listen wholeheartedly. So let’s take some time to pause our thoughts and give way to others with these 147 quotes about listening.

1. The art of conversation lies in listening. – Malcolm Forbes

2. Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. – Karl Menninger

3. Listening is not merely not talking, though even that is beyond most of our powers; it means taking a vigorous, human interest in what is being told us. – Alice Deur Miller

4. Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self. – Dean Jackson

5. Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have rather talked. – Mark Twain

6. And in a world where there’s too much noise and not enough signal, listening is critical. – Peter Shankman

7. The gift of listening makes people want to speak with you. This gift means that you listen and not barge in with your own thoughts. – Catherine Pulsifer

8. Listening is the art and practice of putting someone else’s speaking, thinking and feeling needs ahead of your own. It is deliberate and thoughtful, not contrived or self-serving. It fosters emotional and intellectual reflection. It is an art, because it involves more than mere technique, and because it is very much about the communication and affirmation of feelings. – Marc Wong

9. I believe that one should listen first …. Listening builds rapport and trust. Unless you build that trust with listening, not much else is going to happen. – John Savage

10. A significant part of showing respect is simply listening. We offer our presence and open ears – listening to the hidden hurts and heartaches, the deepest dreams and desires of one another. – Rick Warren

11. I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen. – Ernest Hemingway

12. I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening. – Larry King

13. Listening is such a simple act. It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don’t have to do anything else. We don’t have to advise, or coach, or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen. – Margaret J. Wheatley

14. Listening has importance only when one is not projecting one’s own desires through which one listens. – Jiddu Krishnamurti

15. The biggest mistake most people make when it comes to listening is they’re so focused on what they’re going to say next or how what the other person is saying is going to affect them that they fail to hear what’s being said. – Travis Bradberry

16. Listening is a positive act: you have to put yourself out to do it. – David Hockney

17. Here’s the thing: When you become brilliant at listening, people feel that you care about them. When they feel you care about them, they begin to care about you. And when people care about you, your success becomes a part of how they define their success. – Robin S. Sharma

18. Listening is active. At its most basic level, it’s about focus, paying attention. – Simon Sinek

19. It is a mistake to assume that everyone listens like you do: your listening is as unique as your fingerprints, and so is everyone else’s. – Julian Treasure

20. Listening is an attitude of the heart, a genuine desire to be with another which both attracts and heals. – J. Isham

Quotes About Listening

21. Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words. – Roy T. Bennett

22. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. – Stephen R. Covey

23. You can’t fake listening. It shows. – Raquel Welch

24. Part of doing something is listening. We are listening. To the sun. To the stars. To the wind. – Madeleine L’Engle

25. Listening is a gift of spiritual significance that you can learn to give to others. When you listen, you give one a sense of importance, hope and love that he or she may not receive any other way. Through listening, we nurture and validate the feelings one has, especially when he or she experiences difficulties in life. – H. Norman Wright

26. Listen with your eyes as well as your ears. – Graham Speechley

27. Listening is an effect. Communication is cause. – Meir Ezra

28. Not everyone with a problem needs you to solve it. Sometimes all a person needs is to feel like they’ve been heard. Listening without judging can be more effective than injecting your opinions or trying to solve a problem that doesn’t have an easy answer. – Zero Dean

29. Effective listening is the single most powerful thing you can do to build and maintain a climate of trust and collaboration. Strong listening skills are the foundation for all solid relationships. – Michelle Tillis Lederman

30. When we listen, we hear someone into existence. – Laurie Buchanan

31. We all fare better when we can balance freely expressing and quietly listening. – Cathy Burnham Martin

32. Listening leads us more inside ourselves whereas seeing leads us more outside—the work of seeing itself, that is. And, therefore, we will be far more blessed with eternal life by the power of listening than by the power of sight. The act of listening allows me to hear the eternal Word spoken with me, whereas sight leads me astray, to what is outside myself. In listening, I suffer (or allow); in seeing, I work. – Meister Eckhart

33. To intelligent people, listening means taking a second, to actually listen to understand what the person is actually saying, beyond their words. – Tony Dovale

34. One learns more from listening than speaking. And both the wind and the people who continue to live close to nature still have much to tell us which we cannot hear within university walls. – Thor Heyerdahl

35. Listening is hard work. Listen carefully not only with your ears, but also listen with all of your senses. You will understand better. – Debasish Mridha

36. It’s always the mind that needs quietening and the heart that needs listening to. – Rasheed Ogunlaru

37. Listening is two part, attention and thinking. The latter is what a lot of us don’t do. – Hadi Farnoud

38. During a conversation, listening is as powerful as loving. – Amit Kalantri

39. The practice of deep listening is the practice of open inquiry, without assumption or judgement. – Sharon Weil

40. Listening is where love begins: listening to ourselves and then to our neighbors. – Fred Rogers

41. Listening has the quality of the wizard’s alchemy. It has the power to melt armor and to produce beauty in the midst of hatred. – Brian Muldoon

42. Your ability to move others into appropriate, timely, and effective action is largely determined by the consequences of your speaking and listening. – Suzanne Mayo Frindt

43. If you want to be listened to, you should put in time listening. – Marge Piercy

44. Whole-hearted listening is the greatest spiritual gift you can give to the other person. – Harriet Lerner

45. Listening is about being present, not just about being quiet. – Krista Tippett

Quotes About Listening

46. Listening is the beginning of understanding…
Wisdom is the reward for a lifetime of listening.
Let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance
– Proverbs 1:5

47. Listening is a hug you give with your mind. – Barbara Nixon

48. Listening is the ultimate antidote for healing hurting hearts. – Lyman K. Steil

49. True listening is more of a focused action rather than a random movement. – Dr. Jeff Carter

50. Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking. – Bernard M. Baruch

51. Good listening works magic… Listen intently intentionally! – Frank Bettger

52. Listening to something is an act of surrender. – Brian Eno

53. I’m glad I understand that while language is a gift, listening is a responsibility. – Nikki Giovanni

54. While the right to talk may be the beginning of freedom, the necessity of listening is what makes the right important. – Walter Lippmann

55. Listening means forgetting yourself completely – only then can you listen. – Osho

56. Listening is not just hearing what someone tells you word for word. You have to listen with a heart. I don’t want that to sound touchy-feely; it is not. It is very hard work. – Anna Deavere Smith

57. Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. When we really listen to people there is an alternating current, and this recharges us so that we never get tired of each other. We are constantly being re-created. – Brenda Ueland

58. God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer. – Mother Teresa

59. Listening is being able to be changed by the other person. – Alan Alda

60. In a good conversation, listening is as important as talking. – Steve Brown

Quotes About Listening

61. It’s a mistake to think we listen only with our ears. It’s much more important to listen with the mind, the eyes, the body, and the heart. Unless you truly want to understand the other person, you’ll never be able to listen. – Mark Herndon

62. Listening to people keeps them entertained. – Mason Cooley

63. Listening is more important than talking. Just hit your mark and believe what you say. Just listen to people and react to what they are saying. – Jimmy Fallon

64. The only way to know God, the only way to know the other, is to listen. Listening is reaching out into that unknown other self, surmounting your walls and theirs; listening is the beginning of understanding, the first exercise of love. – Tony Hendra

65. Listening is receptivity. The deeper you can listen, the better you can write. You can take in the way things are without judgment, and the next day you can write the truth about the way things are. – Natalie Goldberg

66. Patience is a virtue as they say and listening is an exercise in patience. – Kaleb Kilton

67. Good listening places us on an edifice of learning complex human behavior. – Balroop Singh

68. Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery. – Joyce Brothers

69. If speaking is silver, then listening is gold. – Turkish Proverbs

70. The biggest barrier in communication is that tendency of listening to reply and not to understand. – Wilson M. Mukama

71. Truly listening, attentively, and with care, is one of the simplest and most kind gifts we can give anyone. – John Bruna

72. Ultimately, the best speakers are the ones who have put 10,000 hours into listening. – James Altucher

73. Listening is huge. Learn to listen. And it’s hard: relationships are not easy; most of them don’t last. I mean, when you look at what’s really going on. So every day is a choice, and sense of freedom is important. – Goldie Hawn

74. Remember that listening stops the instant someone starts talking to himself or herself silently. – Suzette Haden Elgin

75. If you aren’t listening, you aren’t learning. – Lyndon Baines Johnson

76. Listening is a high art of loving. Ask yourself, when was the last time I really listened to my child? My parent? My brother or sister? When someone is ready to share, three magic words amplify your connection, and they are: “Tell me more.” – Rev. Mary Manin Morrissey

77. One must talk little and listen much. – African Proverb

78. Knowledge talks, wisdom listens. – Jimi Hendrix

79. Honor your relationships by developing listening skills. – Allan Lokos

80. Show your intelligence by listening as twice as you can talk, simply because we have two ears and one tongue. – Epictetus

Quotes About Listening

81. Don’t think or judge, just listen. – Sarah Dessen

82. Listening well and answering well is one of the greatest perfections that can be obtained in conversation. – Francois de La Rochefoucauld

83. Listening to and understanding our inner sufferings will resolve most of the problems we encounter. – Thich Nhat Hanh

84. You have to master not only the art of listening to your head, you must also master listening to your heart and listening to your gut. – Carly Fiorina

85. Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure. – Henri Nouwen

86. Tone is often the most important part of a conversation – and listening is so much more important than what you say. – Hoda Kotb

87. The best way to persuade people is with your ears – by listening to them. – Dean Rusk

88. The person who talks a lot or talks over people misses out because they weren’t listening. – Jackie Joyner-Kersee

89. If you take away the gift of reading, you create the gift of listening. – Malcolm Gladwell

90. It takes a great man to be a good listener. – Calvin Coolidge

91. In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing. – Robert Green Ingersoll

92. Maybe you’re so good at listening that you have no idea when to speak. – S.M. Boyce

93. Talk a little less, listen a little more, and you’ll be a lot wiser. – Eric Gibbons

94. Listening to other people’s perspectives does not make your perspectives any less important. Listen more. – Akiroq Brost

95. Bravery is listening even when you don’t want to hear it. – Alaric Hutchinson

96. Listen to others very carefully. Shut your inner noise and focus on verbal and non verbal cues. – Abhishek Ratna

97. Listening is the key. The whole objective of a howl is to be heard. – Amit Pandey

98. Listening is seeking synchronicity with the speaker. – Michael Rost

99. When listening to another person, don’t just listen with your mind, listen with your whole body. You are giving the other person space — space to be. It is the most precious gift you can give. – Eckhart Tolle

100. Good listening is a process of showing respect and validating a person’s worth. – Michelle Lucas

101. The word listening is defined as making an effort to hear something; to pay attention or heed. It is different from hearing, which is the physiological process of the ear absorbing sound waves and transferring them along neural pathways to parts of the brain. Hearing is necessary for listening, but listening is much more than processing sound. Someone may hear very well but be a very poor listener. – Lisa J. Downs

102. Mindful listening is one of the highest compliments we can pay to others because it conveys the relationship level meaning that they matter to us. – Julia Wood

103. You listen to people so that you can imagine them, and you hear all the terrible and wonderful things people do to themselves and to one another, but in the end the listening exposes you even more than it exposes the people you’re trying to listen to. – John Green

104. Effective listening is only achieved in an active and involved manner. It cannot be done passively. – Jane Stein-Parbury

105. Listening is an underrated asset. People these days, they don’t listen as much as they should. I read a lot, I travel a lot and I’m always listening. – David Baldacci

106. The key to good listening isn’t technique, it’s desire. Until we truly want to understand the other person, we’ll never listen well. – Steve Goodier

107. Remain open-minded, even when you believe yourself to be a king among peasants. You never know what blessings can be gained or crises averted just by listening. – A.J. Darkholme

108. Listening is an act of love. When you listen to people, you are communicating non-verbally that they are important to you. – Jim George

Quotes About Listening

109. Listen like every sentence matters; talk like every word counts. – Geoffrey Tumlin

110. There is a difference between truly listening and waiting for your turn to talk. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

111. People will feel safer around you and speak truthfully to you when they feel you are listening intently to them. – Brian Koslow

112. Reminding myself that listening is just as important a creative act as thinking is key for me. – Maya Hawke

113. To learn through listening, practice it naively and actively. Naively means that you listen openly, ready to learn something, as opposed to listening defensively, ready to rebut. Listening actively means you acknowledge what you heard and act accordingly. – Betsy Sanders

114. If you make listening and observation your occupation, you will gain much more than you can by talk. – Robert Baden-Powell

115. Set up the listening. Prepare who you are talking to for what you want them to hear. Get people to listen as a possibility rather than a problem. – Mal Pancoast

116. Genuine listening is hard work; there is little about it that is mechanical… We hear with our ears, but we listen with our eyes and mind and heart and skin and guts as well. – Alfred Benjamin

117. Listening looks easy, but it’s not simple. Every head is a world. – Cuban proverb

118. If you’re forming a rebuttal, you’re not really listening. – Jane Klivans

119. Silence is the training ground for the art of listening. – Linda Douty

120. Listening moves us closer, it helps us become more whole, more healthy, more holy. Not listening creates fragmentation, and fragmentation is the root of all suffering. – Margaret J. Wheatley

Quotes About Listening

121. Listening well is an exercise of attention and by necessity hard work. It is because they do not realize this or because they are not willing to do the work that most people do not listen well. – M. Scott Peck

122. In real ways, we are invited each day to slow down and listen. But why listen at all? Because listening stitches the world together. Because listening is the doorway to everything that matters. It enlivens the heart the way breathing enlivens the lungs. We listen to awaken our heart. We do this to stay vital and alive. This is the work of reverence: to stay vital and alive by listening deeply. – Mark Nepo

123. Really listening and suspending one’s own judgment is necessary in order to understand other people on their own terms. As we have noted, this is a process that requires trust and builds trust. – Mary Field Belenky

124. Listening is so basic that we take it for granted. Unfortunately, most of us think of ourselves as better listeners than we really are. – Michael P. Nichols

125. The art of listening needs its highest development in listening to oneself; our most important task is to develop an ear that can really hear what we’re saying. – Sydney J. Harris

126. Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand. – Sue Patton Thoele

127. There is nothing wrong with listening. You can listen to people; you can hear people’s concerns. You can keep an open mind and still be perfectly strong. – Bill de Blasio

128. Sometimes listening is of greater value than speaking. – Benjamin Watson

129. God will use us for his purposes, but it takes a certain kind of listening. – Henry B. Eyring

130. You learn the most by listening and so, to me, always just listening, always just paying attention and finding out what it is that people see in somebody like them. You find those things, and you try to figure out how to fit them into who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to lead. – Andrew Whitworth

131. We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy. Yet listening, of this very special kind, is one of the most potent forces for change that I know. – Carl Rogers

132. Listening to both sides does not necessarily bring about a correct judgment. – Donald Rumsfeld

133. Years ago, I tried to top everybody, but I don’t anymore. I realized it was killing conversation. When you’re always trying for a topper you aren’t really listening. It ruins communication. – Groucho Marx

134. There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves. – Albert Guinon

135. With the gift of listening comes the gift of healing. – Catherine Doherty

136. The sheer act of listening speaks volumes that even a great speech can’t communicate. – John C. Maxwell

137. Lead by listening – to be a good leader you have to be a great listener. – Richard Branson

138. Hearing is listening to what is said. Listening is hearing what isn’t said. – Simon Sinek

139. Listening is more than being quiet. Listening is much more than silence. Listening requires undivided attention. The time to listen is when someone needs to be heard. The time to deal with a person with a problem is when he has the problem. The time to listen is the time when our interest and love are vital to the one who seeks our ear, our heart, our help, and our empathy. – Marvin J. Ashton

140. Listening is very inexpensive; not listening could be very costly! – Tom Brewer

141. Listening takes practice, and it takes patience. But I promise, if you listen, your story will be better for it. – Howard Gordon

142. Listening to someone talk isn’t at all like listening to their words played over on a machine. What you hear when you have a face before you is never what you hear when you have before you a winding tape. – Oriana Fallaci

143. You stop growing when you stop listening. – Frederick Lenz

144. The biggest challenge in working together is simply listening. – Colette Freedman

145. Listen first and never stop listening. – Dave Kerpen

146. Stay to yourself, just listen. Do more listening than talking. The more you speak the higher the chances you sayin the wrong thing. – Curtis Jackson

147. Listening is not a skill; it is a discipline. – Peter Drucker

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