ignore
Americanverb (used with object)
-
ignores,
present (3rd person singular)
-
ignored,
past participle, past
-
ignoring
present participle
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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ignorernoun
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ignorableadjective
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unignorableadjective
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unignoredadjective
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unignoringadjective
-
well-ignoredadjective
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unignorablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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ignoresimple
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ignoressimple
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have ignoredperfect
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has ignoredperfect
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am ignoringprogressive
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are ignoringprogressive
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is ignoringprogressive
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have been ignoringperfect progressive
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has been ignoringperfect progressive
Past
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ignoredsimple
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had ignoredperfect
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was ignoringprogressive
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were ignoringprogressive
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had been ignoringperfect progressive
Future
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 ”
Explanation
To ignore something is to disregard it. If you ignore the rules of grammar, you're likely to be misunderstood. It's easy to see the relationship between ignore and a word such as ignorant. To be ignorant of something is to know nothing about it. A good way to be ignorant about something is to ignore it. In other words, if you want to be ignorant about a certain subject—that is, if you want to know nothing about it—then by all means ignore it. Pay it no mind.
Vocabulary lists containing ignore
Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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Sula
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"Indian Summer Sun" and "Almost Evenly Divided"
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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.
See Examples For:
But to turn the other cheek at this point, or even to chalk these changes up to healthful new habits, would be to ignore the obvious.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
It’s difficult to ignore the picturesque views of the harbor and famed Queen Mary, particularly at sunset.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
That isn’t something the broader market could ignore.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Asked about the president's comments, the new prime minister said: "There is a resource there. When people are struggling - you can't ignore that and hence me indicating that to the president."
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Then I returned to my table and finished packing my bag, determined to ignore him for the rest of my life.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Like the deal’s opponents, the judge focuses on the Big Screen and ignores the bigger market picture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
But this slogan ignores how, as the state police pointed out in the Buttigieg case, false allegations steal workers’ time from finding and helping children in real danger.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
The bitcoin hoarder created a bespoke valuation metric that ignores market realities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Is this a token effort so people don't ask why the list ignores the first century or so of football?
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
“We’d like to pay for Charley’s headstone,” Theo says suddenly, gaze focused intently on Mrs. Dannenberg while he ignores my questioning eyes.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
And for every day of the last three months he had ignored it, even as it moved ever closer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Carmen Schober, the profile’s author, ignored the way members of Schmidt’s online forum, Skinni Société, commiserated about their hair loss and inability to stand without getting dizzy.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Average families believe that their interests have been ignored, and the facts back them up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
In defense, Carvalho’s lawyers referenced an earlier district review: “You have ignored the results of your prior inquiries into the AllHere matter, which cleared Mr. Carvalho of any misconduct.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Miss Buckner ignored me as if I was already gone.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
It is assigning no value whatsoever to these environmental benefits, thereby ignoring the very health concerns the agency was created to address.
From Slate ● Aug. 2, 2026
The association was also concerned about the Chinese government creating a fire risk by ignoring safety obligations, which it said would not be enforceable because of diplomatic immunity.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
In other words, you would have performed better by ignoring the 50-day moving average.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
Leto also allegedly asserted control by ignoring the girls he invited and speaking to them rudely.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
He believed in ignoring unpleasant facts, in hopes that they’d go away.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
