fall on deaf ears

Idioms  

1. Be ignored or disregarded, as in Any advice we give them about remodeling seems to fall on deaf ears. This expression transfers physical inability to hear to someone who does not want to listen. [1400s] Also see turn a deaf ear.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fall on deaf ears

In 2023, at age 86, Holtz questioned the toughness of coach Ryan Day’s Ohio State football team—a statement that didn’t fall on deaf ears.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

Protestations that big spending is justified by Amazon’s fastest growth rate in its cloud-computing unit for the past 13 quarters looked set to fall on deaf ears judging by the initial stock market reaction.

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

You have already made up your mind, so this response may fall on deaf ears.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 10, 2025

When some coaches make such exacting requests or tell eccentric stories like the ones Harbaugh spins, the messages can fall on deaf ears, Leaf said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2024

His protests seemed to fall on deaf ears.

From Frank Merriwell at Yale by Burt L. Standish