listening
Paying auditory attention
Listening is the act of paying attention to sound, especially speech.
It implies more than just hearing—listening suggests active engagement and effort to understand: Are you even listening to me?
Good listening involves focus and response.
Listening to music means attending to it with appreciation.
In surveillance contexts, a listening device or listening post captures communications covertly.
Perceiving sound waves
- soundAudible wave phenomenon
- earshotAudible proximity zone
- acousticsStudy of sound transmission
- volumeAmount of space filled
decibel · frequency · echo · resonance · whisper · noise · sonic · auditory
Focused attention practice
- presenceState of being somewhere
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
- centeringPositioning at midpoint
breath · contemplation · introspection · silence · receptive · open · grounded · body scan
Sustained single-minded attention
- focusConcentrated attention point
- attentivenessConcentrated awareness of surroundings
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
- heedGive careful attention
alertness · absorption · observation · receptivity · keenness · intent · rapt · careful
Mental comprehension of something
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- processingSystematic operation on data
- graspingGreedy for wealth
- followingComing after another
retention · discernment · clarity · meaning · context · inference · parsing · decoding
Concern for others' distress
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- supportiveOffering help and reassurance
- nonjudgmentalNot forming harsh opinions
- validationConfirming truth or accuracy
caring · connection · rapport · sensitivity · attunement · patience · acceptance · reflective
hearing
Perceiving sound waves
volume · decibel · frequency · echo · resonance · whisper · noise · sonic · auditory · eardrum
meditation
Focused attention practice
- presenceState of being somewhere
- stillnessComplete lack of motion
- awarenessState of perceiving reality
centering · breath · contemplation · introspection · silence · receptive · open · grounded · body scan · guided
concentration
Sustained single-minded attention
- focusConcentrated attention point
- attentivenessConcentrated awareness of surroundings
- engagementCommitment to wed or attend
heed · alertness · absorption · observation · receptivity · keenness · intent · rapt · careful · close
understanding
Mental comprehension of something
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- processingSystematic operation on data
- graspingGreedy for wealth
following · retention · discernment · clarity · meaning · context · inference · parsing · decoding · absorbing
compassion
Concern for others' distress
- understandingMental comprehension of something
- supportiveOffering help and reassurance
- nonjudgmentalNot forming harsh opinions
validation · caring · connection · rapport · sensitivity · attunement · patience · acceptance · reflective · acknowledgment
- activitiesbowling, climbing, exercise, eating, baking
- classroomdesk, desks, chair, chairs, teacher
- communicationtelephone, conversation, inform, hand signal, messages
- conversationtalk, talking, chat, speaking, discussion
- gerundswalking, running, talking, eating, sleeping
- leisure activitiesrelax, watching, unwind, walking, chill
listeningignoring
Deliberately not noticing
tuning out · disregarding · not paying attention · inattentive · zoning out
listeningspeaking
Oral expression of language
talking · saying · telling · broadcasting · monologuing
listeningindifferent
Lacking interest or concern
dismissive · unresponsive · cold-shouldering · stonewalling · shutting out
- listening to musicAttending to organized sound
- not listeningFailing to attend
- listening inSecretly hearing others speak
- easy listeningUndemanding melodic audio
- listening upDirecting attention to hear
- listening deviceHidden surveillance microphone