ignore

verb

ig·​nore ig-ˈnȯr How to pronounce ignore (audio)
ignored; ignoring
Synonyms of ignorenext

transitive verb

1
: to refuse to take notice of
2
: to reject (a bill of indictment) as ungrounded
ignorable
ig-ˈnȯr-ə-bəl How to pronounce ignore (audio)
adjective
ignorer noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for ignore

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention.

neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

Examples of ignore in a Sentence

She tried to ignore him but he wouldn't leave her alone. I'll ignore that last remark. If we continue to ignore these problems they will only get worse. They ignored the warning signs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An important social context to Rickey can’t be ignored. —Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024 Biden rewarded murderers while ignoring the innocent and their families. —Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024 But should investors really be ignoring small caps in 2025? —Bret Kenwell, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024 Defendant banks also ignored complaints that could have prevented further fraud and failed to investigate complaints properly, according to the suit. —Corina Vanek, The Arizona Republic, 23 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ignore 

Word History

Etymology

obsolete ignore to be ignorant of, from French ignorer, from Latin ignorare, from ignarus ignorant, unknown, from in- + gnoscere, noscere to know — more at know

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ignore was in 1682

Dictionary Entries Near ignore

ignoration

ignore

ignote

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ignore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignore. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

ignore

verb
ig·​nore ig-ˈnō(ə)r How to pronounce ignore (audio)
-ˈnȯ(ə)r
ignored; ignoring
: to refuse to notice : pay no attention to
ignored his advice
ignorable
-ˈnō(ə)r-ə-bəl How to pronounce ignore (audio)
-ˈnȯ(ə)r-
adjective
ignorer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ignore

Nglish: Translation of ignore for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ignore for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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