Our ears do more than just hear; they feature prominently in a wealth of idioms that paint vivid pictures of listening, ignoring, or paying close attention. From casual conversations to formal settings, these expressions add color and nuance.
Grasping idioms about ears can significantly improve your comprehension and communication, allowing you to understand subtle meanings and express yourself more effectively. Let’s dive into some common ear-related phrases and uncover their fascinating implications.
Best Idioms About Ears
1. All ears
Meaning: Fully attentive; eager to listen.
In a Sentence:
Tell me all about your trip; I’m all ears!
When the manager started talking about promotions, everyone in the room was all ears.
Other Ways to Say: Listening intently, Attentive, Eager to hear, Fully focused
2. Play it by ear
Meaning: To decide how to deal with a situation as it develops, rather than planning in advance.
In a Sentence:
We don’t have a fixed schedule for the weekend; we’ll just play it by ear.
Let’s see what the weather is like tomorrow and play it by ear for the picnic.
Other Ways to Say: Improvise, Adapt, Be flexible, Go with the flow
3. Ear to the ground
Meaning: To be well-informed about current trends, opinions, or events, often by listening to rumors or informal conversations.
In a Sentence:
She always has her ear to the ground, which is why she’s so good at predicting market changes.
Keep your ear to the ground for any news about job openings.
Other Ways to Say: Stay informed, Keep updated, Be alert to news, Listen for rumors
4. Fall on deaf ears
Meaning: To be ignored or disregarded.
In a Sentence:
His warnings about the dangers of the project fell on deaf ears.
Her pleas for more funding seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Other Ways to Say: Be ignored, Be disregarded, Be unheeded, Go unnoticed
5. Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: To deliberately ignore someone or refuse to listen.
In a Sentence:
The government seems to turn a deaf ear to the concerns of its citizens.
He turned a deaf ear to his friend’s advice and regretted it later.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore, Disregard, Refuse to listen, Pay no attention
6. Lend an ear
Meaning: To listen to someone sympathetically.
In a Sentence:
If you need to talk, I’m here to lend an ear.
She’s always willing to lend an ear to her students’ problems.
Other Ways to Say: Listen, Pay attention, Hear out, Be receptive
7. Music to my ears
Meaning: Information or news that is very pleasing or welcome.
In a Sentence:
“Your promotion has been approved” – those words were music to my ears!
Hearing that the project was finished ahead of schedule was music to my ears.
Other Ways to Say: Welcome news, Good news, Delightful to hear, Pleasing information
8. About one’s ears
Meaning: Surrounding or overwhelming someone, especially with problems or difficulties.
In a Sentence:
He found himself with problems piling up around his ears.
With so many deadlines, the work was starting to fall about my ears.
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelmed, Surrounded by, In great difficulty, Swamped
9. Grin from ear to ear
Meaning: To smile broadly and happily.
In a Sentence:
When she won the lottery, she was grinning from ear to ear.
The little boy grinned from ear to ear after getting his new toy.
Other Ways to Say: Smile broadly, Beam, Radiate happiness, Be jubilant
10. Can’t believe one’s own ears
Meaning: To be so surprised or shocked by what one hears that it seems unbelievable.
In a Sentence:
When he heard the news of his unexpected inheritance, he couldn’t believe his own ears.
I simply couldn’t believe my own ears when she confessed to the prank.
Other Ways to Say: Be astonished, Be shocked, Be dumbfounded, Be incredulous
11. A word in one’s ear
Meaning: A private or discreet remark or piece of advice.
In a Sentence:
Could I have a word in your ear about something important?
The coach pulled the player aside for a quiet word in his ear.
Other Ways to Say: Private conversation, Confidential remark, Discreet advice, Whispered suggestion
12. Ears turned red
Meaning: To blush or become red in the ears, often due to embarrassment, anger, or being talked about.
In a Sentence:
His ears turned red when he realized he had made a foolish mistake.
Whenever someone complimented her, her ears would turn red.
Other Ways to Say: Embarrassed, Blushing, Flushed, Self-conscious
13. Get it in your ears
Meaning: To hear about something, often repeatedly or to an annoying extent. (Less common, often implies being told off).
In a Sentence:
He’s going to get it in his ears from the boss when she finds out what happened.
I keep getting it in my ears about forgetting to submit that report.
Other Ways to Say: Be told off, Be reprimanded, Hear repeatedly, Be nagged
14. Give someone an earful
Meaning: To scold someone at length; to tell someone off angrily.
In a Sentence:
His mom gave him an earful when he came home late.
The customer gave the manager an earful about the poor service.
Other Ways to Say: Scold, Reprimand, Lecture, Berate, Tell off
15. Have a good ear
Meaning: To have a natural ability to hear, understand, and reproduce sounds, especially in music or languages.
In a Sentence:
She has a good ear for languages and can pick up accents quickly.
As a musician, he has a very good ear for melodies.
Other Ways to Say: Musical ear, Good hearing, Talent for languages/music, Acute hearing
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Hair with Style and Sass
16. Keep your ears open
Meaning: To pay attention and listen carefully for particular information.
In a Sentence:
Keep your ears open for any news about job vacancies.
The detective told his informants to keep their ears open for anything suspicious.
Other Ways to Say: Listen carefully, Be alert, Be attentive, Watch out for news
17. Prick your ears
Meaning: (Usually of an animal) To raise the ears and listen attentively; (of a person) to listen suddenly and attentively.
In a Sentence:
The dog pricked its ears when it heard a strange noise outside.
When she mentioned a bonus, everyone in the meeting pricked their ears.
Other Ways to Say: Listen attentively, Perked up, Pay attention suddenly, Become alert
18. Wet behind the ears
Meaning: Inexperienced and naive.
In a Sentence:
He’s still a bit wet behind the ears when it comes to managing a team.
Don’t trust him with that complex task; he’s still wet behind the ears.
Other Ways to Say: Inexperienced, Naive, Green, Immature, Novice
19. Within earshot
Meaning: Close enough to hear something.
In a Sentence:
Don’t say anything bad about him; he might be within earshot.
She kept her children within earshot while they played in the park.
Other Ways to Say: Audible range, Hearing distance, Close enough to hear
20. Burn someone’s ears
Meaning: To cause someone embarrassment or discomfort by talking about them. (Often used with ‘ears are burning’).
In a Sentence:
I hope I’m not burning your ears by talking about your past mistakes.
More common in the passive: “My ears are burning, someone must be talking about me.”
Other Ways to Say: Embarrass, Make uncomfortable, Cause discomfort, Talk about negatively (implies gossip)
21. Ears are burning
Meaning: Used when you suspect people are talking about you, especially in your absence.
In a Sentence:
My ears are burning; I bet someone’s talking about me right now.
I just got a strange feeling, my ears are burning.
Other Ways to Say: Being gossiped about, Being discussed, Feeling talked about
22. Up to your ears
Meaning: Very busy or deeply involved in something; overwhelmed.
In a Sentence:
I’m up to my ears in work right now, so I can’t join you.
She was up to her ears in debt after the business failed.
Other Ways to Say: Very busy, Swamped, Overwhelmed, Deeply involved, Buried in
23. Ear on, ear off
Meaning: Not a standard idiom. Might refer to listening selectively or turning attention on/off.
In a Sentence:
Not typically used in standard English idioms.
Perhaps it implies someone is switching their attention on and off.
Other Ways to Say: No direct synonyms as it’s not a common idiom
24. Bend someone’s ear
Meaning: To talk to someone for a long time, often annoying them slightly.
In a Sentence:
He always tries to bend my ear about his conspiracy theories.
I accidentally bent her ear for an hour about my new hobby.
Other Ways to Say: Talk at length to, Bore with talk, Harangue, Monopolize the conversation
25. Have an ear for
Meaning: To have a natural ability to understand, appreciate, or distinguish something, especially music or languages. (Similar to ‘have a good ear’).
In a Sentence:
She has an ear for poetry and can easily understand its nuances.
To be a good editor, you need to have an ear for grammar.
Other Ways to Say: Aptitude for, Talent for, Sensitivity to, Discernment for
26. Walls have ears
Meaning: Used as a warning that one might be overheard, even in private.
In a Sentence:
Be careful what you say; walls have ears.
Don’t discuss confidential matters in public; remember, walls have ears.
Other Ways to Say: Be careful what you say; you might be overheard. Be discreet
27. Ear candy
Meaning: Music that is catchy, pleasant, and easy to listen to, but often lacks depth or substance.
In a Sentence:
That new pop song is pure ear candy – so catchy, but not very meaningful.
His latest album is just ear candy, enjoyable but quickly forgotten.
Other Ways to Say: Catchy tune, Easy listening music, Pleasant but superficial music
28. Perk up your ears
Meaning: To become suddenly alert and listen attentively (similar to ‘prick your ears’).
In a Sentence:
When he mentioned free food, everyone in the room perked up their ears.
The cat perked up its ears at the sound of the opening can.
Other Ways to Say: Listen attentively, Become alert, Pay attention, Listen up
29. In one ear and out the other
Meaning: Heard but immediately forgotten; not paying attention.
In a Sentence:
I told him what to do, but it just went in one ear and out the other.
Advice often goes in one ear and out the other with teenagers.
Other Ways to Say: Ignored, Disregarded, Not remembered, Unheeded
30. Give ear to
Meaning: To listen to or pay attention to.
In a Sentence:
He refused to give ear to their complaints.
The wise leader always listened to the counsel of his elders.
Other Ways to Say: Listen to, Pay attention to, Heed, Attend to
31. Ears are ringing
Meaning: To hear a persistent sound, often a high-pitched one, in one’s ears (tinnitus); or, to feel a lingering effect of a loud noise or a shocking statement.
In a Sentence:
After the rock concert, my ears were ringing for hours.
His ears were ringing after the loud argument with his brother.
Other Ways to Say: Tinnitus, Hearing phantom sounds, Feeling disoriented by sound
32. Lend a sympathetic ear
Meaning: To listen to someone with understanding and compassion.
In a Sentence:
She was always there to lend a sympathetic ear to her friends’ problems.
Sometimes all you need is someone to lend a sympathetic ear.
Other Ways to Say: Listen with empathy, Be compassionate, Offer understanding, Be supportive
33. Have your ear to the ground
Meaning: To be aware of current trends and what is happening (same as ‘ear to the ground’).
In a Sentence:
As a journalist, you need to have your ear to the ground for breaking news.
He’s very good at business because he always has his ear to the ground regarding new opportunities.
Other Ways to Say: Stay informed, Keep updated, Be alert to news, Listen for rumors
34. Out on your ear
Meaning: To be summarily dismissed or expelled from a job, place, or situation.
In a Sentence:
He was out on his ear after arguing with the boss.
If you break the rules again, you’ll be out on your ear.
Other Ways to Say: Fired, Expelled, Kicked out, Dismissed
35. Ears like a hawk
Meaning: To have extremely good hearing.
In a Sentence:
Don’t try to whisper secrets around her; she has ears like a hawk.
The security guard, with ears like a hawk, heard every tiny sound.
Other Ways to Say: Acute hearing, Sharp hearing, Excellent hearing, Very perceptive hearing
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Heart That Speak from Within
36. Keep an ear out
Meaning: To listen carefully for a particular sound or piece of information.
In a Sentence:
Could you keep an ear out for the delivery truck?
I’ll keep an ear out for any mention of that job opening.
Other Ways to Say: Listen carefully, Be alert, Pay attention, Watch out for
37. Ear-splitting
Meaning: Extremely loud and piercing.
In a Sentence:
The ear-splitting scream from the haunted house made everyone jump.
The fireworks display ended with an ear-splitting bang.
Other Ways to Say: Deafening, Piercing, Roaring, Thunderous, Very loud
38. Pin back your ears
Meaning: To listen very carefully and intently.
In a Sentence:
The coach told the team to pin back their ears and listen to the new strategy.
You’d better pin back your ears; this information is crucial.
Other Ways to Say: Listen carefully, Pay close attention, Be attentive, Listen intently
39. Talk someone’s ear off
Meaning: To talk to someone for a very long time, to the point of boring or annoying them.
In a Sentence:
I ran into my old neighbor, and he talked my ear off for an hour.
She can talk your ear off about her travel adventures.
Other Ways to Say: Talk excessively, Bore with talk, Monopolize the conversation, Ramble
40. Cock an ear
Meaning: To tilt one’s head slightly and listen attentively.
In a Sentence:
The dog cocked an ear when it heard the distant siren.
He cocked an ear, trying to catch what they were whispering.
Other Ways to Say: Listen intently, Prick up one’s ears, Pay close attention, Strain to hear
41. Ears wide open
Meaning: Listening very carefully and attentively, ready to receive information.
In a Sentence:
She arrived at the seminar with her ears wide open, ready to learn.
The children listened to the story with their ears wide open.
Other Ways to Say: Fully attentive, Eager to listen, Receptive, Listening intently
42. Get an earful
Meaning: To be scolded or reprimanded at length (similar to ‘give someone an earful’, but from the receiving end).
In a Sentence:
He got an earful from his boss for missing the deadline.
When she got home, she knew she’d get an earful from her parents.
Other Ways to Say: Be scolded, Be reprimanded, Be lectured, Be told off
43. Fall about one’s ears
Meaning: To collapse or fail completely, often in a chaotic way. (Similar to ‘about one’s ears’ with a focus on collapse).
In a Sentence:
His perfectly laid plans began to fall about his ears when the funding was cut.
The old building was so dilapidated that it looked like it could fall about your ears at any moment.
Other Ways to Say: Collapse, Fail spectacularly, Disintegrate, Go to pieces
44. Have a tin ear
Meaning: To have a poor ability to appreciate or reproduce music; or, to be unable to understand or react appropriately to what others are saying or feeling.
In a Sentence:
As a singer, he unfortunately had a tin ear when it came to pitch.
The politician had a tin ear for public sentiment, often saying the wrong thing.
Other Ways to Say: Unmusical, Lacking musical ability, Insensitive, Tone-deaf (literal and figurative)
45. Ear to the ground
Meaning: To be well-informed about what is happening (same as ‘ear to the ground’).
In a Sentence:
The local reporter always keeps an ear to the ground for community news.
Having an ear to the ground helps you anticipate market changes.
Other Ways to Say: Stay informed, Keep updated, Be alert to news, Listen for rumors
46. Turn one’s ear
Meaning: To completely surprise, shock, or upset something, often by changing it drastically.
In a Sentence:
The new technology turned the entire industry on its ear.
Her unconventional approach turned traditional teaching methods on their ear.
Other Ways to Say: Revolutionize, Upset, Disrupt, Astonish, Shock
47. Ear to ear
Meaning: From one side of the face to the other, usually describing a very wide smile. (Same as ‘grin from ear to ear’).
In a Sentence:
She was smiling ear to ear after getting the good news.
The baby giggled, a wide smile stretching ear to ear.
Other Ways to Say: Broadly, Widely, Happily, Joyfully
48. Ears peeled
Meaning: Listening very carefully and attentively for something specific. (Similar to ‘keep your ears open’).
In a Sentence:
I’m keeping my ears peeled for any announcements about the concert tickets.
The scouts kept their ears peeled for sounds of wildlife.
Other Ways to Say: Listening intently, Attentive, Alert, Vigilant
49. Deaf as a post
Meaning: Completely deaf or unable to hear anything.
In a Sentence:
You’ll have to shout; my grandfather is deaf as a post.
I tried telling her, but she’s deaf as a post when she wants to be.
Other Ways to Say: Completely deaf, Hard of hearing (informal), Unresponsive to sound
50. Box someone’s ears
Meaning: To hit someone (usually a child) on the side of the head as a punishment. (An outdated and often discouraged form of punishment.)
In a Sentence:
His mother threatened to box his ears if he didn’t stop misbehaving.
This idiom is now generally considered archaic and refers to a form of physical punishment.
Other Ways to Say: Slap someone’s ear, Hit on the ear (implies punishment)
Exercise to Practice – Idioms About Ears
- My little sister came home from school grinning _________________________ after getting a perfect score on her test.
- I’m _________________________ with all this paperwork; I can’t take on anything else.
- The company needs to _________________________ to find out what customers really want.
- She told him the secret, but it seemed to go _________________________.
- When the teacher offered extra credit, all the students _________________________.
- The new intern is a bit _________________________, so we need to guide him closely.
- “I got the job!” she exclaimed, and her words were _________________________ to me.
- My neighbor tends to _________________________ about his gardening achievements.
- Be careful what you say in here; remember, _________________________.
- The sudden explosion was _________________________ and made everyone jump.
Answer Key
- from ear to ear
- up to my ears
- keep an ear to the ground
- in one ear and out the other
- perked up their ears
- wet behind the ears
- music to my ears
- bend my ear
- walls have ears
- ear-splitting
Conclusion
You might have felt a bit wet behind the ears with figurative language before, but now you have a great collection of idioms about ears to communicate more confidently. Understanding these phrases helps you not just hear, but truly understand native speakers. Are you curious about idioms related to other body parts? Let us know in the comments below!
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
