ignore

verb

ig-ˈnȯr How to pronounce ignore (audio)
Definition of ignorenext
1
as in to forget
to fail to give proper attention to ignoring your health now will haunt you further down the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to forgive
to dismiss as of little importance although the movie is a cinematic tour de force, one can't ignore the fact that it seriously distorts history

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ignore distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of ignore are disregard, forget, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When is disregard a more appropriate choice than ignore?

The words disregard and ignore are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When could forget be used to replace ignore?

Although the words forget and ignore have much in common, forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When can neglect be used instead of ignore?

The synonyms neglect and ignore are sometimes interchangeable, but neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

Where would overlook be a reasonable alternative to ignore?

The words overlook and ignore can be used in similar contexts, but overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

When would slight be a good substitute for ignore?

While the synonyms slight and ignore are close in meaning, slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ignore Titles were a foregone conclusion with two of the league’s three or four best players and the financial might to ignore the luxury tax. —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2025 Public health is too important to rely on speculation and too important to ignore when the data speaks for itself. —Olga Bolden-Tiller, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2025 In Tuesday’s complaint, Simmons alleges that the filmmakers intentionally ignored information, including interviews from over 20 witnesses across media and politics, that challenged their narrative that the music mogul assaulted and harassed various women. —Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025 The markets, too, are learning to ignore Trump’s tariff shenanigans — good news for investors and retirement accounts, bad news for Trump’s waning influence on world leaders. —S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ignore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignore
  1. forget
  2. forgive
  3. disregard
  4. overlook
  5. neglect
  6. explain
  7. justify
  8. excuse
Verb
  • For one, no studio wants to release its film too early, only to be forgotten when another major contender comes along.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Demings will likely never forget that night, nor the weeks and months that followed.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 June 2025
Definition of forget
Verb
  • After the season Manchester United has endured, the club’s fans could be forgiven for wanting the campaign to end.
    — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • There are no limits to the number of donations per person, though fines will not be forgiven for library items that are lost or damaged.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2025
Definition of forgive
Verb
  • The Edgar County Watchdogs Inc. sued the Village of Dolton and the former mayor for failing to produce financial records after the administration allegedly disregarded Freedom of Information Act requests earlier this year.
    — Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2025
  • Advancing American Freedom, the advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, is circulating a memo telling Congress to disregard the CBO’s deficit projections.
    — Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 3 June 2025
Definition of disregard
Verb
  • Tucked between Kamala and Patong beach, the journey to this hidden hillside bar includes a wooden path with photogenic stops, including a floating frame overlooking the Andaman Sea.
    — Kaila Yu, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Overall, the move to focus on individual risks and benefits may overlook broader public health benefits.
    — Libby Richards, The Conversation, 29 May 2025
Definition of overlook
Verb
  • Window treatments appear in nearly every room in the house, but the kitchen has long been neglected, thanks to airflow needs and cooking residue.
    — Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 May 2025
  • However, because of its small flowers, Calibrachoa was long neglected by plant breeders in favor of the petunia with its larger blooms.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 May 2025
Definition of neglect
Verb
  • Furthermore these efforts should also find ways to explain the costs of AI use from an environmental perspective.
    — Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Nivola in Lochlan’s season-ending near-death experience and Koch in a one-take episode in which Erik explains to his attorney the abuse within the Menendez household.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 7 June 2025
Definition of explain
Verb
  • But as cloud spend goes up, the need to justify cost efforts and demonstrate cost avoidance to execs will increase.
    — Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • His breezy accounts betray no anxiety to justify the expense of sending him around the world.
    — Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
Definition of justify
Verb
  • This creates a tension between excusing and exempting abuse.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • But for her, the speculation doesn’t excuse what came next.
    — Ashley Vega, People.com, 29 May 2025
Definition of excuse

Browse Nearby Words

ignorant
ignore
ignored
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ignore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignore. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on ignore

Nglish: Translation of ignore for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Some Data About 'Datum'

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All