ignorance
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ignorance
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English word from Latin word ignōrantia. See ignore, -ance
Compare meaning
How does ignorance compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If you didn't do any of the reading or homework for your Russian history class, you are probably hoping the teacher won't call on you, so you can hide your ignorance, or lack of knowledge. The noun ignorance is not a synonym for "stupidity," since its meaning is closer to "being uninformed" than "being unintelligent." Ignorance implies that a person or group needs to be educated on a particular subject. You might have heard the phrase "ignorance is bliss," which means that sometimes it's easier when you don't know the whole truth about something and can be blissfully happy, unaware of unpleasant realities.
Vocabulary lists containing ignorance
"Marigolds"
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Graduation Gems, 2016
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Eats, Shoots & Leaves
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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.
It is alarming that we live in a moment of widespread ignorance that CPS caseworkers, like all fallible government officials, are bound by the Constitution.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Otherwise, public schools would be forced to leave children in ignorance of a large swath of the Western tradition: David and Goliath?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Speaking to the inquiry, Rowland's cousin Dr Andrea Hughes said there had been more than five decades of "ignorance, poor leadership, parochialism and arrogance" in relation to the investigation.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
Later, he took a scolding tone when he insisted — yet again — that the negotiations would soon end the war, “subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
His tone was of easygoing tolerance of his questioner’s ignorance.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
