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Synonyms

ignorance

American  
[ig-ner-uhns] / ˈɪg nər əns /

noun

  1. the state or fact of being ignorant; lack of knowledge, learning, information, etc.

ignorance British  
/ ˈɪɡnərəns /

noun

  1. lack of knowledge, information, or education; the state of being ignorant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • self-ignorance noun

Etymology

Origin of ignorance

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English word from Latin word ignōrantia. See ignore, -ance

Compare meaning

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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.

Crowds took to the capital's streets from 13:00 GMT on Saturday, with placards displaying messages including "fight ignorance not immigrants" and "reject racist lies" visible.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

It seems like the Justice Department’s plan was to send in this junior prosecutor, Daniel Rosenblum, who would respond to these questions with ignorance and say he didn’t know anything.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

Who hasn’t had the experience of hearing some know-nothing proudly display his ignorance — whether in a bar, on a crowded plane or on Joe Rogan’s podcast?

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Hegseth’s language choices and petulant tone do not demonstrate an ignorance of what rhetorical situations demand of him; instead, they reflect a refusal to be emasculated by such cumbersome norms.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026

Now I needed to understand how the great gatekeepers of history had come to terms with their own ignorance and partiality.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

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.