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Synonyms

turn a deaf ear

Idioms  
  1. Refuse to listen, as in You can plead all day but he's turning a deaf ear to everyone. This expression dates from the first half of the 1400s and was in most proverb collections from 1546 on. Also see fall on deaf ears.


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.

But whenever I hear it now, I kind of turn a deaf ear to it, if that’s possible.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

“When I started the environmental education program I thought they were going to turn a deaf ear to us … and at first that happened,” Domínguez said.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 2, 2022

"I'm not blind to it. It's not like I turn a deaf ear to all of this," Tagovailoa explained.

From Fox News • Dec. 6, 2021

But the same media turn a deaf ear to the many articulate voices for justice and accountability that have been rising from all across this fracked nation, in their respective communities.

From Salon • Sep. 28, 2018

To such representations he was not disposed to turn a deaf ear, more especially as the pecuniary outlook in Buffalo was far from encouraging.

From The Canadian Portrait Gallery - Volumes 1 to 4 by Dent, John Charles

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