Ignore Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms ignore American [ig-nawr, -nohr] / ɪgˈnɔr, -ˈnoʊr /

verb (used with object)

ignored, ignoring

1. to refrain from noticing or recognizing.

   to ignore insulting remarks.

   Synonyms: overlook, neglect, disregard, slight Antonyms: regard, notice

2. Law. (of a grand jury) to reject (a bill of indictment), as on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

ignore British / ɪɡˈnɔː /

verb

1. to fail or refuse to notice; disregard

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. informal disregard

   to treat someone with ignore

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• ignorable adjective
• ignorer noun
• unignorable adjective
• unignorably adverb
• unignored adjective
• unignoring adjective
• well-ignored adjective

Etymology

Origin of ignore

First recorded in 1605–15; from Latin ignōrāre “to not know, disregard,” verb derivative of ignārus “ignorant, unaware” (with -ō- perhaps from ignōtus “unknown”), equivalent to in- in- 3 + gnārus “knowing, acquainted (with)”; akin to (g)nōscere “to know 1 ”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

So in other words you can be disruptive, not hustle, ignore your coach, etc., because you’re the “star” of the team.

From Los Angeles Times

But a judge at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court overruled this, stating the council ignored evidence proving Marsh was a suitable keeper.

From BBC

The strategic message, however, is harder to ignore.

From BBC

"The scale is truly alarming and this war has made it impossible to ignore now," says Timothy Graham, a digital media expert at the Queensland University of Technology.

From BBC

Storm ignored me and kept screaming and lunging to go as if nothing were wrong.

From Literature

Related Words

• avoid
• discount
• fail
• forget
• neglect
• overlook
• reject
• scorn

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.