ignore

American  

[ig-nawr, -nohr] / ɪgˈnɔr, -ˈnoʊr /

verb (used with object)

ignored, ignoring

1. to refrain from noticing or recognizing.

   to ignore insulting remarks.

   Synonyms:

   overlook, neglect, disregard, slight

   Antonyms:

   regard, notice

2. Law. (of a grand jury) to reject (a bill of indictment), as on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

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ignore British  

/ ɪɡˈnɔː /

verb

1. to fail or refuse to notice; disregard

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noun

1. informal disregard

   to treat someone with ignore

Other Word Forms

• ignorable adjective
• ignorer noun
• unignorable adjective
• unignorably adverb
• unignored adjective
• unignoring adjective
• well-ignored adjective

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 ”

Example Sentences

A win on New Year’s Day will help bolster the football culture in Indiana, but the team understands it needs to focus on Thursday’s game against Alabama and ignore the bigger picture.

From Los Angeles Times

"I very foolishly put it down to coming down with a cold and completely ignored the symptoms," he told BBC News NI.

From BBC

He developed a legal theory that justifies ignoring what he refers to as “unlawful orders” after witnessing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

From Salon

He throws at reporters so much fluff—personal asides, fulminations about adversaries real and imagined, commentary on culture and self-congratulation—that the press and public often ignore important things.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The scale of current investment and the pace of innovation mean that even the sceptics cannot ignore its influence on both markets and the real economy.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• avoid
• discount
• fail
• forget
• neglect
• overlook
• reject
• scorn