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

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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 Smith, a Suffield resident, claims the court administration has for years ignored state statutes requiring that outdoor lighting located at state facilities to be designed to minimize light pollution, and for nonessential outdoor lighting be turned off from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. daily. —Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2025 On Tuesday, Trump ignored Colbert’s jab but took another swipe at Kimmel as well as NBC’s Jimmy Fallon. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 22 July 2025 The progressive leaders’ summit, held in Chile on July 21, ignored virtually all inconvenient truths. —Andres Oppenheimer july 22, Miami Herald, 22 July 2025 Too many times last year the line would just ignore somebody running right at them. —Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 11 July 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
  • People sometimes forget that being a legendary vocalist means more than just hitting the right notes.
    — Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025
  • And a lot of people forget that in the beginning, The Osbournes was just an MTV experiment.
    — Matthew Schnipper, Vulture, 22 July 2025
Definition of forget
Verb
  • May Allah Almighty forgive your shortcomings and grant you the highest ranks of Jannah.
    — Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
  • But those scenes tend to be very funny, and funny forgives a lot.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025
Definition of forgive
Verb
  • We’re overrun by leaders who are psychopaths or sociopaths (people who disregard social norms and the rights of others).
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
  • Even now, six months into President Trump’s second term, there’s a tendency to disregard his sometimes fiery rhetoric as mere big talk.
    — Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 4 July 2025
Definition of disregard
Verb
  • But my frustration at her absence is also annoyance that FX’s raw and timely adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction book on the Troubles was overlooked in favor of stuff like Monsters: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story and The Penguin.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 15 July 2025
  • The clip features him on the phone ranting about being overlooked in the past.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of overlook
Verb
  • Absolutely no trip to Bradenton should neglect some time strolling on the Bradenton Riverwalk.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 26 July 2025
  • For decades, residents in the eastern part of Dearborn have felt marginalized by City Hall, saying their neighborhoods have been neglected by officials.
    — Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 26 July 2025
Definition of neglect
Verb
  • Police officials will explain how the new police drones can be remotely deployed and piloted toward the scene of an incident from docks placed across the city.
    — Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 26 July 2025
  • Why? About The Daily Money Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.
    — Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Definition of explain
Verb
  • However, the Commission did not indicate any sudden or unexpected event that would justify the urgency.
    — Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Lay of the land Advocates for the Golden Dome point to recent events to justify the program.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2025
Definition of justify
Verb
  • But the survey of 1,000 American adults, taken on June 10, also found that some excused or endorsed the violence against Jews.
    — Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025
  • When a flight attendant noticed, Dali faked vomiting to excuse her lengthy time in the bathroom.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2025
Definition of excuse

Browse Nearby Words

ignorant
ignore
ignored
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Cite this Entry

“Ignore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignore. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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