Ear idioms are expressions that use the ear as a metaphor to describe listening, attention, secrets, and communication. These idioms add color and depth to everyday language, helping you express ideas about hearing, understanding, and reacting in creative ways. Whether you want to talk about being attentive, ignoring advice, or overhearing gossip, ear idioms provide vivid ways to communicate. Below, you will find 50 ear-related idioms with clear meanings, example sentences, and alternative phrases to help you use them naturally. After the idioms, there is a fill-in-the-blank exercise to test your understanding and reinforce learning.
50 Ear Idioms with Meanings and Examples
- In one ear and out the other
Meaning: Something heard but quickly forgotten or ignored.
Example: I told him to be careful, but it went in one ear and out the other.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Forget quickly - Play it by ear
Meaning: To decide how to act as a situation develops.
Example: We don’t have a plan yet; we’ll just play it by ear.
Other Ways to Say: Improvise, Adapt - Music to one’s ears
Meaning: Something very pleasant to hear.
Example: The news of her promotion was music to her ears.
Other Ways to Say: Pleasing news, Delightful information - Wet behind the ears
Meaning: Inexperienced or naive.
Example: He’s still wet behind the ears and needs guidance.
Other Ways to Say: New, Inexperienced - Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: To ignore or refuse to listen.
Example: The manager turned a deaf ear to the complaints.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard - Ear to the ground
Meaning: Being alert and aware of what is happening.
Example: She always has her ear to the ground about market trends.
Other Ways to Say: Stay informed, Be alert - Keep your ear to the ground
Meaning: To pay close attention to what is going on.
Example: Keep your ear to the ground for any news about the merger.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Watch closely - Have an ear for (something)
Meaning: To be good at noticing or understanding something.
Example: He has an ear for music and can pick out any tune.
Other Ways to Say: Be talented, Have a knack - Lend an ear
Meaning: To listen carefully and sympathetically.
Example: She always lends an ear when her friends need to talk.
Other Ways to Say: Listen, Pay attention - Keep your ear open
Meaning: To stay alert and listen for information.
Example: Keep your ear open for any updates on the project.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Listen carefully - Have eyes and ears everywhere
Meaning: To be very well informed about everything happening.
Example: The boss has eyes and ears everywhere in the company.
Other Ways to Say: Be well informed, Know everything - Eavesdrop
Meaning: To secretly listen to a conversation.
Example: She eavesdropped on their conversation to find out the secret.
Other Ways to Say: Listen secretly, Spy - Turn a blind eye and a deaf ear
Meaning: To ignore something deliberately.
Example: The officials turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the violations.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Overlook - Keep your ears peeled
Meaning: To listen carefully for something.
Example: Keep your ears peeled for the announcement.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Listen closely - Have a big ear
Meaning: To be a good listener or to be nosy.
Example: He has a big ear and always knows the latest gossip.
Other Ways to Say: Good listener, Nosy - Get in someone’s ear
Meaning: To influence or persuade someone persistently.
Example: The salesman got in my ear about buying the new model.
Other Ways to Say: Persuade, Influence - Play it by ear
Meaning: To improvise without a fixed plan.
Example: We didn’t plan the trip; we just played it by ear.
Other Ways to Say: Improvise, Adapt - Have an ear for trouble
Meaning: To be quick to hear or notice problems.
Example: She always has an ear for trouble and knows when something’s wrong.
Other Ways to Say: Be alert, Notice problems - Hold your ear to the door
Meaning: To listen secretly to a conversation.
Example: He held his ear to the door to hear what they were saying.
Other Ways to Say: Eavesdrop, Listen secretly - Keep your ear to the ground
Meaning: To stay informed about what is happening.
Example: Politicians keep their ear to the ground to understand public opinion.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Be informed - Have a good ear
Meaning: To be able to recognize or reproduce sounds well.
Example: She has a good ear for languages and picks up accents easily.
Other Ways to Say: Be talented, Have a knack - Turn a deaf ear to advice
Meaning: To ignore advice or warnings.
Example: He turned a deaf ear to his friends’ advice and made a mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard - Have your ear to the ground
Meaning: To be alert to new developments.
Example: Investors always have their ear to the ground for market changes.
Other Ways to Say: Stay informed, Be alert - Lend a sympathetic ear
Meaning: To listen with understanding and sympathy.
Example: She lent a sympathetic ear to her friend’s problems.
Other Ways to Say: Listen carefully, Be understanding - Make one’s ears burn
Meaning: To be the subject of gossip.
Example: I felt like my ears were burning when they were talking about me.
Other Ways to Say: Be gossiped about, Be talked about - Have a sharp ear
Meaning: To be able to hear or notice small details.
Example: The detective has a sharp ear for unusual sounds.
Other Ways to Say: Be attentive, Notice details - Keep your ears open
Meaning: To stay alert and listen carefully.
Example: Keep your ears open for any news about the event.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Listen carefully - Have an ear for gossip
Meaning: To be interested in or good at hearing gossip.
Example: She has an ear for gossip and always knows the latest news.
Other Ways to Say: Be curious, Listen to gossip - Play it by ear
Meaning: To act without a fixed plan, adapting as you go.
Example: We don’t have a schedule; we’ll just play it by ear.
Other Ways to Say: Improvise, Adapt - Turn a deaf ear to complaints
Meaning: To ignore complaints.
Example: The manager turned a deaf ear to the workers’ complaints.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard - Have ears like a bat
Meaning: To have very good hearing.
Example: She has ears like a bat and can hear the faintest sounds.
Other Ways to Say: Be a good listener, Hear well - Get in someone’s ear
Meaning: To influence or persuade persistently.
Example: The coach got in his ear about training harder.
Other Ways to Say: Persuade, Influence - Have an ear for detail
Meaning: To notice small details easily.
Example: The editor has an ear for detail and catches every mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Be attentive, Notice details - Keep your ear open for something
Meaning: To listen carefully for information.
Example: Keep your ear open for any news about the sale.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Listen carefully - Turn a deaf ear to warnings
Meaning: To ignore warnings.
Example: He turned a deaf ear to warnings about the storm.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard - Have a thick ear
Meaning: To be slow to understand or hear.
Example: He has a thick ear and often misses important information.
Other Ways to Say: Be slow to understand, Hard of hearing - Keep your ears open
Meaning: To stay alert and listen carefully.
Example: Keep your ears open during the meeting for important updates.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Listen carefully - Have ears everywhere
Meaning: To be well informed through many sources.
Example: The company has ears everywhere to keep track of competitors.
Other Ways to Say: Be well informed, Know everything - Play it by ear
Meaning: To improvise or adapt without a plan.
Example: We’ll play it by ear and decide what to do next.
Other Ways to Say: Improvise, Adapt - Turn a deaf ear to criticism
Meaning: To ignore criticism.
Example: She turned a deaf ear to criticism and kept working hard.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard - Have an ear for languages
Meaning: To be good at learning or understanding languages.
Example: He has an ear for languages and picks them up quickly.
Other Ways to Say: Be talented, Have a knack - Keep your ear to the ground
Meaning: To stay alert to changes or news.
Example: Investors keep their ear to the ground for market shifts.
Other Ways to Say: Stay informed, Be alert - Lend an ear to someone’s problems
Meaning: To listen sympathetically to someone’s troubles.
Example: She always lends an ear to her friends’ problems.
Other Ways to Say: Listen carefully, Be understanding - Have ears like a fox
Meaning: To have very sharp hearing.
Example: The hunter has ears like a fox and can detect the slightest noise.
Other Ways to Say: Hear well, Be attentive - Play it by ear
Meaning: To act without a fixed plan.
Example: We’ll play it by ear and see how things go.
Other Ways to Say: Improvise, Adapt - Turn a deaf ear to requests
Meaning: To ignore requests.
Example: The manager turned a deaf ear to employees’ requests for a raise.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard - Have an ear for music
Meaning: To be able to recognize or appreciate music well.
Example: She has an ear for music and can identify any song.
Other Ways to Say: Be talented, Have a knack - Keep your ears open for gossip
Meaning: To listen carefully for gossip or news.
Example: She keeps her ears open for gossip about the office.
Other Ways to Say: Stay alert, Listen carefully - Get in someone’s ear
Meaning: To influence or persuade persistently.
Example: The politician got in voters’ ears with his promises.
Other Ways to Say: Persuade, Influence - Have a good ear for accents
Meaning: To be able to recognize or imitate accents well.
Example: He has a good ear for accents and can mimic many dialects.
Other Ways to Say: Be talented, Have a knack
Exercise: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with the correct idiom from the list above.
- The teacher’s advice went __________; the students didn’t pay attention.
- We don’t have a fixed plan, so let’s just __________.
- Hearing that you passed the exam was __________.
- He’s still __________ and needs more experience.
- The manager decided to __________ the complaints from staff.
- Always keep your __________ to stay updated on the news.
- She has an __________ for music and can play by ear.
- Don’t ignore the warnings; don’t __________.
- The boss always has __________ everywhere in the company.
- I felt like my __________ were burning when they talked about me.
- He tends to __________ and annoy everyone with advice.
- The company made a sudden change, a real __________ in policy.
- We’ll __________ and decide what to do next.
- She always __________ when her friends need someone to listen.
- The editor has an __________ for detail and catches every mistake.
- The politician tried to __________ voters with promises.
- Keep your __________ open for any gossip around the office.
- The manager turned a __________ to employee requests.
- The musician has a __________ for accents and can imitate many.
- The boss decided to __________ the new project until funding is secured.
Answers to the Exercise
- In one ear and out the other
- Play it by ear
- Music to one’s ears
- Wet behind the ears
- Turn a deaf ear
- Ear to the ground
- Have an ear for music
- Turn a deaf ear
- Eyes and ears everywhere
- Ears burn
- Get in someone’s ear
- U-turn
- Play it by ear
- Lend an ear
- Ear for detail
- Get in someone’s ear
- Ears open
- Deaf ear
- Good ear for accents
- Put the brakes on
Conclusion
Ear idioms offer a creative way to talk about listening, attention, and communication. By learning these 50 expressions, you can understand native speakers better and make your own speech more interesting. Use these idioms to describe situations where you listen carefully, ignore advice, or hear gossip. Practice with the exercises to master these phrases and add a new dimension to your English skills.