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B1 Verb #45 am häufigsten 5 Min. Lesezeit

ignore

Top 45

At the A1 level, 'ignore' is a word you use when you want to say you are not looking at or listening to something on purpose. For example, if your friend is talking but you are busy, you might ignore them. Or if your phone rings and you don't want to answer, you ignore the call. It is a simple action. You see something, but you do nothing. You hear something, but you do not answer. It is like saying 'no' with your eyes or ears. You can ignore a person, a sound, or a message. It is important to remember that 'ignore' is something you *choose* to do. It is not an accident. If you don't see your friend because you are looking the other way, that is not ignoring. If you see them and then look away, that is ignoring.

At the A2 level, you can start using 'ignore' to describe more social situations. You might ignore a mean comment from a classmate to avoid a fight. You might ignore the instructions on a box because you think you know how to build the toy. In this level, 'ignore' helps you explain why you didn't do something. 'I ignored the alarm because I was so tired.' It shows a decision. You can also use it with 'try to'. 'I tried to ignore the noise, but it was too loud.' This shows that sometimes ignoring is hard to do. It is a very useful word for talking about your daily life and the choices you make about what to pay attention to.

At the B1 level, 'ignore' becomes a tool for discussing behavior and consequences. You understand that ignoring someone can be rude or a way to stay focused. You might discuss 'ignoring the signs' of a problem, like a car making a strange noise or a friend feeling sad. In B1, you use 'ignore' to talk about more abstract things, like ignoring advice or ignoring a rule. You can also use it in the passive voice: 'The warning was ignored.' This level requires you to understand the intent behind the action. Are they ignoring the problem because they are lazy, or because they are busy? It is a key word for describing interpersonal dynamics and problem-solving.

At the B2 level, 'ignore' is used in professional and academic contexts. You might read about a company that 'ignored market trends' and lost money. You can use adverbs to add detail, like 'blatantly ignore' (to ignore very obviously) or 'largely ignore' (to ignore most of the time). You understand that 'ignore' can have serious implications in law, science, and politics. For instance, 'The researcher ignored the outliers in the data,' suggests a lack of scientific integrity. You also start to see the word in more complex grammatical structures, such as 'Ignoring the risks, they proceeded with the plan.' Here, it functions as a participle phrase to set the scene for the main action.

At the C1 level, you use 'ignore' to discuss nuance, subtext, and systemic issues. You might analyze how a society 'ignores the plight' of a certain group, or how a literary character 'ignores their moral compass'. The word becomes a way to critique and evaluate. You can distinguish between 'willful ignorance' (choosing not to know) and 'ignoring' (knowing but not acting). You use it to describe sophisticated psychological states, like 'cognitive dissonance,' where a person ignores information that contradicts their beliefs. Your vocabulary includes synonyms like 'disregard', 'marginalize', or 'gloss over', and you know exactly when 'ignore' is the most precise choice.

At the C2 level, 'ignore' is a precision instrument. You use it to describe the subtle ways in which information is filtered or suppressed. You might discuss the 'calculated ignoring' of diplomatic protocols or the 'institutionalized ignoring' of historical facts. You are comfortable using the word in highly formal rhetoric and complex metaphorical senses. For example, 'The artist ignores the traditional boundaries of the medium to create something entirely new.' At this level, you also understand the philosophical implications of the word—how the act of ignoring defines the boundaries of our perceived reality. You can use it with absolute precision in any context, from legal briefs to poetic prose.

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ignore in 30 Sekunden

To ignore is a deliberate choice to withhold attention from something you are aware of, such as a person, a sound, or a rule.
It differs from 'overlooking' because it is intentional; you know the thing exists but choose not to engage with it.
Commonly used in social contexts (ignoring a person), digital contexts (ignoring a notification), and professional contexts (ignoring a warning).
Grammatically, it is a transitive verb that usually takes a direct object and can be modified by adverbs like 'completely' or 'blatantly'.

To ignore is a deliberate act of omission. It is not merely a failure to notice something; rather, it is the conscious decision to withhold your attention from a stimulus that is clearly present. In the landscape of human interaction, ignoring serves as a powerful tool for boundary setting, focus, and sometimes, social aggression. When you ignore a ringing phone, you are aware of the sound but choose not to engage with it. This distinction between 'not seeing' and 'choosing not to see' is the core of the word's meaning.

Social Ostracism: In social settings, to ignore someone is often a form of non-verbal communication. It can signal disapproval, anger, or a desire to end a relationship. This is colloquially known as the 'silent treatment'.
Cognitive Filtering: In a psychological sense, our brains must ignore thousands of sensory inputs every second—like the feeling of clothes on our skin—to focus on important tasks. This is 'selective attention'.

Despite the flashing warning lights on the dashboard, the driver decided to ignore the mechanical issues and continue the journey.

The word is versatile across registers. In a professional environment, one might ignore a minor error to maintain workflow, while in a legal context, ignoring a subpoena can lead to severe consequences. The act of ignoring implies a hierarchy of importance; by ignoring 'A', you are implicitly stating that 'B' is more worthy of your finite cognitive resources. It is a verb of prioritization, though often associated with negative outcomes like neglect or rudeness.

She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach before the presentation.

Digital Context: On social media, 'ignoring' a friend request or a direct message is a common modern dilemma, often leading to anxiety or 'ghosting' culture.

Using 'ignore' correctly requires understanding its transitive nature—it almost always takes a direct object. You ignore *something* or *someone*. Grammatically, it is a regular verb (ignore, ignored, ignoring). It often pairs with adverbs that describe the intent or the difficulty of the act, such as 'blatantly', 'studiously', or 'completely'.

The government cannot afford to ignore the rising inflation rates any longer.

The 'To + Verb' Pattern: While you ignore objects, you can also ignore the fact *that* something is happening. Example: 'He ignored that he was late and sat down quietly.'

In complex sentences, 'ignore' often appears in the imperative form as advice: 'Ignore the haters.' It also functions well in passive constructions, though less common: 'His advice was completely ignored by the board.' This shifts the focus from the person doing the ignoring to the thing being neglected.

If you ignore the rules of the game, you will be disqualified.

'Ignore' is a staple of daily English, found in everything from casual conversations to high-level academic discourse. In a domestic setting, you might hear a parent tell a child to 'ignore your brother, he's just trying to annoy you.' In this context, ignoring is presented as a strategy for conflict de-escalation. In the workplace, 'ignoring an email' is a common source of friction, often discussed in meetings regarding communication protocols.

'Just ignore the mess,' Sarah said as she invited her guests into the living room.

In news media, 'ignore' is frequently used to describe political inaction. Journalists might report that a leader is 'ignoring the pleas of the public' or 'ignoring scientific evidence.' Here, the word carries a heavy weight of responsibility and potential negligence. In the world of technology, 'ignore' is a literal button or command. You 'ignore' a call on your smartphone, or you add a file to a '.gitignore' list in software development to tell the system to skip it.

The most frequent mistake learners make is confusing 'ignore' with 'not know' or 'be ignorant of'. While they share the same Latin root (*ignōrāre*), their modern usage is distinct. If you 'ignore' a fact, you know it but choose to act as if you don't. If you are 'ignorant' of a fact, you simply do not know it at all.

Ignore vs. Overlook: 'Overlook' is often accidental (you didn't see the error). 'Ignore' is intentional (you saw the error but did nothing).
Preposition Errors: Learners sometimes try to add 'to' after ignore (e.g., 'I ignored to him'). This is incorrect. 'Ignore' is a direct transitive verb: 'I ignored him.'

Incorrect: He ignored about the warning.
Correct: He ignored the warning.

Depending on the context, several synonyms can replace 'ignore' to provide more nuance. If the ignoring is done with contempt, 'disregard' or 'snub' might be more appropriate. If it is done to avoid something unpleasant, 'evade' or 'shun' could work.

Disregard: Often used in formal or technical contexts. 'Please disregard the previous email.'
Neglect: Implies a failure to give proper care or attention, often resulting in damage. 'He neglected his duties.'
Snub: To ignore someone specifically to insult them or show they are unimportant.

While 'ignore' is neutral, 'shun' implies a persistent, community-wide avoidance of a person.

How Formal Is It?

Formell

Neutral

Informell

Child friendly

Umgangssprache

Wusstest du?

Despite coming from a word meaning 'not to know', in modern English, if you 'ignore' something, you almost always *do* know about it first!

Aussprachehilfe

UK /ɪɡˈnɔː(r)/

US /ɪɡˈnɔːr/

Second syllable (ig-NORE)

Reimt sich auf

door floor more score shore store war explore

Häufige Fehler

Pronouncing the 'g' like a 'j' (it should be a hard 'g').
Stressing the first syllable (IG-nore).
Adding an extra vowel sound between 'g' and 'n'.
Confusing the pronunciation with 'ignorant'.
Muffling the 'or' sound.

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Lesen 2/5

Commonly found in most texts; meaning is usually clear from context.

Schreiben 3/5

Requires understanding of transitivity and avoiding the 'ignore to' error.

Sprechen 2/5

Easy to use in daily conversation once the 'g' sound is mastered.

Hören 2/5

Clear pronunciation makes it easy to identify in speech.

Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest

Voraussetzungen

notice attention listen see look

Als Nächstes lernen

disregard neglect overlook avoid shun

Fortgeschritten

willful ignorance cognitive dissonance selective attention ostracism marginalization

Wichtige Grammatik

Transitive Verbs

You must have an object: 'I ignored *the alarm*.'

Gerunds as Objects

He ignored *being* laughed at.

Passive Voice

The warning *was ignored* by the public.

Adverb Placement

She *completely* ignored the question.

Zero Conditional

If you ignore the law, you get in trouble.

Beispiele nach Niveau

I ignore my phone when I sleep.

I don't answer it.

Subject + Verb + Object

Please do not ignore me.

Please listen to me.

Imperative negative

He ignores the loud music.

He doesn't care about the music.

Third person singular -s

They ignore the rain and play outside.

They don't stop for the rain.

Present simple

She ignored the cat.

She didn't look at the cat.

Past simple -ed

Don't ignore your homework.

Do your homework.

Imperative

I can't ignore that sound.

The sound is too loud to forget.

Modal 'can't'

We ignore the television.

We are not watching it.

Present simple

She ignored his text message all day.

She saw it but didn't reply.

Past simple

It is hard to ignore the smell of fresh bread.

The smell is very strong.

It is + adjective + to-infinitive

He tried to ignore the pain in his leg.

He wanted to forget the pain.

Verb + to-infinitive

Why are you ignoring my questions?

You are not answering me.

Present continuous question

You should not ignore the safety rules.

Follow the rules.

Modal 'should'

I am ignoring the mess until tomorrow.

I will clean it later.

Present continuous

They ignored the 'No Entry' sign.

They went in anyway.

Past simple

He ignores anyone who is mean to him.

He doesn't talk to mean people.

Relative clause 'who...'

If you ignore the problem, it will only get worse.

You must fix it now.

First conditional

She studiously ignored him at the party.

She worked hard to not look at him.

Adverb + Verb

The driver ignored the red light and caused an accident.

He didn't stop.

Compound sentence

I decided to ignore the negative comments on my post.

I didn't let them bother me.

Decided + to-infinitive

You can't just ignore your responsibilities.

You have to do your work.

Modal 'can't'

He was ignored by his colleagues during the meeting.

Nobody listened to him.

Passive voice

It's best to ignore the rumors until we know the truth.

Don't believe what people say.

It's + adjective + to-infinitive

She has a talent for ignoring distractions.

She can focus well.

Preposition + gerund

The committee chose to ignore the expert's advice.

They didn't follow the suggestions.

Chose + to-infinitive

Ignoring the evidence is a dangerous strategy.

Not looking at the facts is bad.

Gerund as subject

He blatantly ignored the company's dress code.

He wore whatever he wanted.

Adverb of manner

The film ignores the historical context of the era.

It doesn't show the real history.

Present simple

We cannot ignore the fact that climate change is accelerating.

We must accept this truth.

Ignore + the fact + that clause

She was criticized for ignoring the needs of her staff.

She didn't help her workers.

Passive + preposition + gerund

The software allows you to ignore certain types of files.

The program skips them.

Allow + object + to-infinitive

Despite the warnings, many people ignored the evacuation order.

They stayed in their homes.

Prepositional phrase + main clause

The report was accused of ignoring the underlying social issues.

It missed the real cause.

Passive voice + gerund

To ignore the nuances of the argument is to misunderstand it completely.

Details are important.

Infinitive as subject

He had a way of ignoring anything that didn't fit his worldview.

He only saw what he wanted.

Relative clause

The government's tendency to ignore minority voices led to unrest.

They didn't listen to small groups.

Noun + to-infinitive

She found it impossible to ignore the hypocrisy of the situation.

The double standard was obvious.

Found + it + adjective + to-infinitive

The artist deliberately ignores perspective to create a flat effect.

A conscious stylistic choice.

Adverb of manner

By ignoring the early symptoms, he allowed the disease to progress.

Not acting early was a mistake.

By + gerund

The treaty was criticized for ignoring the rights of indigenous peoples.

It didn't protect them.

Passive voice

The sheer audacity to ignore such a high-profile subpoena was shocking.

It was very bold to skip the court order.

Noun phrase + to-infinitive

One cannot simply ignore the ontological implications of this discovery.

It changes how we see reality.

Formal 'one' + modal

The narrative purposefully ignores the protagonist's childhood to focus on the present.

A deliberate literary omission.

Adverb of purpose

To ignore the cyclical nature of history is to be doomed to repeat it.

We must learn from the past.

Parallel infinitive structure

The policy was drafted in a vacuum, ignoring the geopolitical realities of the region.

It didn't consider the real world.

Participle phrase

His dismissal of the theory as 'irrelevant' was a way of ignoring its profound impact.

He tried to minimize it.

Gerund phrase

The architecture ignores the surrounding landscape, standing as a brutalist monolith.

It doesn't fit in.

Present participle

In his pursuit of profit, he ignored the ethical quagmire he was creating.

He didn't care about right or wrong.

Prepositional phrase + main clause

Häufige Kollokationen

ignore a warning

completely ignore

ignore the fact that

ignore a request

ignore advice

blatantly ignore

studiously ignore

ignore symptoms

ignore a call

ignore the rules

Häufige Phrasen

Ignore the haters

Ignore at your peril

Hard to ignore

Ignore the elephant in the room

Just ignore it

Ignore the noise

Ignore the signs

Ignore the past

Ignore the details

Ignore the consequences

Wird oft verwechselt mit

ignore vs Ignorant

Ignorant means 'not knowing'. Ignore means 'choosing not to pay attention'.

ignore vs Overlook

Overlook is usually an accident. Ignore is always on purpose.

ignore vs Neglect

Neglect implies a failure to care for something. Ignore is just about attention.

Redewendungen & Ausdrücke

"Turn a blind eye"

To pretend not to see something, usually something wrong.

The guard turned a blind eye to the kids sneaking in.

Informal

"Bury one's head in the sand"

To ignore a problem and hope it goes away.

You can't just bury your head in the sand about your debts.

Informal

"Give someone the cold shoulder"

To intentionally ignore someone you know.

I don't know why she's giving me the cold shoulder.

Informal

"Tune someone out"

To stop listening to someone while they are talking.

He started talking about his car, so I tuned him out.

Informal

"Look the other way"

To ignore something wrong that is happening.

The police were paid to look the other way.

Neutral

"Fall on deaf ears"

When a suggestion or warning is ignored.

My pleas for help fell on deaf ears.

Neutral

"Shut your eyes to"

To refuse to acknowledge a fact or situation.

You can't shut your eyes to the truth forever.

Neutral

"Cut someone dead"

To completely ignore someone you meet, as if you don't know them.

She cut him dead in the street.

British Informal

"Pass over in silence"

To ignore a topic or event by not mentioning it.

The scandal was passed over in silence by the media.

Formal

"Take no notice of"

To ignore something or someone.

Take no notice of what he says; he's just grumpy.

Neutral

Leicht verwechselbar

ignore vs Ignorant

Same root word.

Ignorant is an adjective describing a lack of knowledge. Ignore is a verb describing an action of withholding attention.

He is ignorant of the law, but he chose to ignore the police officer.

ignore vs Overlook

Both involve not seeing/acting.

Overlook is often unintentional (missing a detail). Ignore is intentional (seeing but not acting).

I overlooked the error in the report, but I ignored my colleague's rude comment.

ignore vs Disregard

Very similar meanings.

Disregard is more formal and often used for rules or data. Ignore is more common for people and sensory input.

Please disregard the previous email; just ignore it.

ignore vs Avoid

Both involve staying away.

Avoid means to keep away from something physically or situationally. Ignore means to not pay attention to it even if it is there.

I avoid the park to ignore my ex-boyfriend.

ignore vs Neglect

Both involve a lack of attention.

Neglect implies a responsibility was not met, leading to a bad result. Ignore is simply about the act of not paying attention.

He neglected his dog by ignoring its cries for food.

Satzmuster

I ignore [noun].

I ignore the cat.

Don't ignore [noun].

Don't ignore the sign.

He ignored [noun] because [reason].

He ignored the call because he was busy.

It is hard to ignore [noun].

It is hard to ignore the noise.

Ignoring [noun], they [verb].

Ignoring the rain, they went for a walk.

[Noun] was ignored by [noun].

The advice was ignored by the team.

By ignoring [noun], [consequence].

By ignoring the symptoms, he became very ill.

To ignore [noun] is to [verb].

To ignore the past is to repeat it.

Wortfamilie

Substantive

Verben

Adjektive

Verwandt

So verwendest du es

frequency

Very common in both spoken and written English.

Häufige Fehler

I ignored to him. → I ignored him.
'Ignore' is a transitive verb and does not need a preposition before the object.
I am ignore the rules. → I am ignoring the rules.
In the present continuous, you must use the -ing form.
He is very ignore. → He is very ignorant.
'Ignore' is a verb. If you want to describe a person's lack of knowledge, use the adjective 'ignorant'.
I ignored that I saw him. → I pretended I didn't see him.
While 'ignore the fact that' is okay, 'ignore that' followed by a clause is often awkward. Use 'pretend' or 'disregard'.
She ignored to call me. → She neglected to call me / She ignored my call.
'Ignore' cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + verb).

Tipps

Be Direct

Remember that 'ignore' takes a direct object. Don't use 'at' or 'to' after it. Just say 'Ignore the noise'.

Polite Alternatives

If you want to be more polite in a professional setting, use 'overlook' or 'disregard' instead of 'ignore'.

Passive Voice

Use the passive voice ('He was ignored') to emphasize the person who is feeling left out.

Adverb Power

Use adverbs like 'completely', 'totally', or 'blatantly' to show how much someone is ignoring something.

Selective Attention

Understand that ignoring is a vital brain function. You have to ignore the sound of the fan to hear the teacher.

Mute vs. Ignore

In apps, 'muting' is a technical way to ignore someone's posts without unfriending them.

Show, Don't Tell

Instead of saying 'He ignored her', describe him looking at his phone while she spoke.

Blind Eye

Use 'turn a blind eye' when someone ignores something wrong on purpose, like a boss ignoring a late employee.

Stress the End

Always put the emphasis on the 'NORE' part of the word.

Context Matters

Pay attention to whether the ignoring is helpful (focus) or hurtful (rudeness).

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of 'I' + 'Go' + 'No' + 'Re'. 'I go NO more' to that person. I ignore them.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine a person wearing large headphones and dark sunglasses, walking past a loud, shouting crowd without looking.

Word Web

Attention Focus Neglect Silence Blindness Choice Awareness Disregard

Herausforderung

Try to go one hour without checking your phone. You must ignore every notification that pops up.

Wortherkunft

From the Latin 'ignōrāre', meaning 'not to know' or 'to be unacquainted with'. It is composed of 'in-' (not) and 'gnōrāre' (to know).

Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: The original meaning was simply 'to not know something'. Over time, it shifted from a state of not knowing to the active choice of not paying attention.

It belongs to the Indo-European family, specifically the Italic branch, leading into Romance languages and then borrowed into English.

Kultureller Kontext

Be careful when using 'ignore' in professional feedback; it can sound very accusatory. 'Overlooked' is often more polite.

In the UK and US, 'ignoring' someone is often called the 'silent treatment' and is considered a passive-aggressive behavior in relationships.

The Wizard of Oz: 'Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!' (An instruction to ignore the truth). The Three Wise Monkeys: 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' (A symbolic form of ignoring). Ghandi: 'First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.'

Im Alltag üben

Kontexte aus dem Alltag

Social Situations

ignore a rude person
ignore a snub
ignore the gossip
ignore the drama

Technology

ignore a call
ignore a notification
ignore a friend request
add to ignore list

Work/Professional

ignore a warning
ignore the deadline
ignore the feedback
ignore the instructions

Health

ignore the pain
ignore the symptoms
ignore the doctor's advice
ignore the hunger

Environment/Sensory

ignore the noise
ignore the smell
ignore the heat
ignore the distraction

Gesprächseinstiege

"Is it ever okay to ignore a friend's text message for a few days?"

"How do you usually handle it when someone ignores you in a meeting?"

"What is the hardest noise for you to ignore when you are trying to sleep?"

"Do you think people today ignore the news too much, or not enough?"

"Have you ever ignored a 'No Entry' sign? What happened?"

Tagebuch-Impulse

Describe a time when you ignored your intuition. What was the result?

Write about a situation where ignoring someone was the kindest thing to do.

How does it feel when you are ignored by someone you respect?

List three things in your life that you are currently ignoring but should probably face.

Reflect on the difference between 'ignoring' a problem and 'accepting' a problem.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, ignoring can be a positive strategy for focus. For example, ignoring distractions while studying helps you learn better. It can also be a way to avoid unnecessary conflict.

No, 'ignore' is not followed by a to-infinitive for actions. You should say 'I ignored my homework' or 'I neglected to do my homework'.

'Ghosting' is a modern slang term specifically for ending all communication with someone without explanation, usually in a romantic context. 'Ignore' is a general term for any situation where attention is withheld.

The 'g' is a hard sound, like in 'go' or 'get'. It is not soft like in 'giant'.

Yes, it follows the standard pattern: ignore, ignored, ignored.

No, 'ignore' is only a verb. The noun form is 'ignorance' (lack of knowledge) or 'ignoring' (the act of).

It means to avoid talking about an obvious and important problem that everyone is aware of.

It is neutral. It can be used in casual conversation and in formal academic writing.

It is a legal and philosophical term for a situation where a person intentionally keeps themselves uninformed about something to avoid responsibility.

Yes, it is one of the most common ways to use the word, though it is often considered rude.