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
-
unignorableadjective
-
unignoredadjective
-
unignoringadjective
-
well-ignoredadjective
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unignorablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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ignoresimple
-
ignoressimple
-
have ignoredperfect
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has ignoredperfect
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am ignoringprogressive
-
are ignoringprogressive
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is ignoringprogressive
-
have been ignoringperfect progressive
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has been ignoringperfect progressive
Past
-
ignoredsimple
-
had ignoredperfect
-
was ignoringprogressive
-
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:
Nevertheless, Thompson pointed out, while Congress can pass bills requiring Trump to approve an arms sale, the president retains the power to veto it "or simply ignore it".
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
“The people who use this window intentionally often have far more flexibility later, while those who ignore it may spend retirement reacting to choices they can no longer change.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
A financial rule of thumb tells us to ignore the worrywarts who say American stocks are expensive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
Scheffler, who does not own a smartphone, said he tried to ignore AI until someone showed him how his most famous creations had been digitally recreated in locations such as Silicon Valley and Oktoberfest.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Satisfied, he started back down the hall, trying to ignore the growing ache in his shoulder.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
"But this neuron doesn't release NE everywhere. It ignores the cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 23, 2026
Kingdom, “An action is arbitrary and capricious when the agency relies on inappropriate factors, fails to consider important aspects of the problem, or ignores relevant evidence.”
From Slate ● Oct. 21, 2026
“It ignores or virtually ignores most of the major events in American history,” he wrote.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
A superintelligent AI system that ignores human goals or misinterprets commands could, naysayers say, scramble people’s bank accounts, disrupt essential water and power supplies, or take over missile-launch systems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
He totally ignores our groans and pushes on.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
Carrara said he was offended and ignored the critique.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
She called Machado's return a "show" and the entire cross-country event, which was livestreamed by her supporters over the weekend, was studiously ignored by state television outlets.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026
The capex boom has also created a funding risk that was largely ignored in the period of ultra-low interest rates and financial repression that followed the global financial crisis.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
"Even positive news is being ignored," said FOREX.com's Fawad Razaqzada.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
I ignored him, I closed my eyes, trying to block out all the din around me and focusing only on the voices in my headset, where the Frenchman was keeping his agonized wait.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Rather than floating through walls or ignoring their surroundings, they appear to follow familiar physical rules.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
Note how she dances, ignoring the regimented steps to nuzzle sweetly into her husband’s rib cage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Annuities and insurance aren’t the most scintillating subjects, but ignoring them could prove costly, writes MarketWatch columnist Beth Pinsker.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Other problems arise from overeager attempts to portray Philadelphia as the birthplace of various advancements while ignoring other places’ possible claims.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
And a friend who keeps ignoring me, Seven thought but didn’t say out loud.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
