ignorer
To ignore someone or something means to pay no attention to them on purpose.
Explanation at your level:
When you ignore, you do not look at something. You do not talk to someone. You act like they are not there. It is like closing your eyes to a toy you do not want to see.
To ignore is to not pay attention. If your phone rings and you do not answer, you are ignoring the call. It is a choice to not react to something that is happening.
We use ignore when we see or hear something but decide not to respond. It can be used for people, like ignoring a classmate, or for things, like ignoring a speed limit sign. It is usually a deliberate action.
The verb ignore carries a sense of agency. Unlike 'forgetting' or 'not knowing,' ignoring implies you are aware of the situation but choose to disregard it. It is frequently used in discussions about rules, social etiquette, and data analysis.
In advanced contexts, ignore can imply a strategic dismissal of information. In academic or professional fields, one might 'ignore outliers' in a dataset to focus on the trend, or 'ignore protocol' to achieve a faster result. The nuance lies in the intent behind the lack of engagement.
Etymologically, ignore has traveled from a state of 'not knowing' to a state of 'refusing to acknowledge.' In literary analysis, a character who ignores a truth is often experiencing 'willful blindness.' The word captures the tension between objective reality and the subjective choice to remain uninfluenced by that reality.
Palabra en 30 segundos
- Ignore means to pay no attention.
- It is a deliberate choice.
- It is a transitive verb.
- It is related to the word 'ignorant'.
When you ignore something, you are making a conscious decision to look the other way. It is not the same as simply not knowing something; it is an active choice to not engage with it.
Think of it like a volume knob on a radio. If you ignore a noise, you are mentally turning the volume of that input down to zero. Whether you are ignoring a text message or a rule, you are acknowledging the existence of the thing but choosing to treat it as if it isn't there.
The word ignore comes from the Latin word ignorare, which means 'not to know' or 'to be unacquainted with.' Interestingly, it shares a root with the word ignorant.
In its earliest usage, it didn't necessarily mean you were being rude; it just meant you didn't have the information. Over time, the meaning shifted from a lack of knowledge to a deliberate choice to look past something. It entered Middle French and then English in the early 17th century, eventually settling into the social behavior we recognize today.
You will hear ignore used in many different settings. You might 'ignore a warning' in a professional setting or 'ignore a friend' in a social one.
It is a very versatile verb. Common collocations include ignore the facts, ignore the consequences, or ignore the advice. It is neutral in register, meaning you can use it in a casual chat with a friend or in a serious business report without sounding out of place.
While 'ignore' is a direct verb, we use many idioms to describe the same action. For example, turn a blind eye means to ignore something intentionally. Give the cold shoulder is a specific way to ignore someone socially.
Other expressions include sweep under the rug (ignoring a problem), bury one's head in the sand (ignoring reality), and pay no mind (choosing not to care about something).
The verb ignore is regular. Its forms are ignores (present), ignored (past), and ignoring (present participle).
Pronunciation is /ɪɡˈnɔːr/ in both US and UK English. The stress is on the second syllable. It rhymes with words like restore, explore, and ignore itself. It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object—you ignore something or someone.
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'ignore' but evolved into a social action.
Pronunciation Guide
Short 'i' sound, followed by a long 'or' sound.
Similar to UK, slightly more rhotic 'r' at the end.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'g' as 'j'
- Stress on the first syllable
- Adding an extra syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to use
Easy to say
Easy to hear
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanzado
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
He ignored the sign.
Imperative Mood
Ignore him!
Present Continuous
I am ignoring it.
Examples by Level
I ignore the noise.
noise = sound
simple present
Do not ignore me.
don't = do not
imperative
He ignores the dog.
dog = pet
third person singular
She ignored the bell.
bell = sound
past tense
We are ignoring him.
him = the boy
present continuous
They will ignore it.
will = future
future tense
Did you ignore it?
did = past question
interrogative
I cannot ignore this.
cannot = can not
modal verb
Please don't ignore my messages.
He ignored the teacher's instructions.
She chose to ignore the bad news.
They ignored the warning signs.
I try to ignore the traffic noise.
Why are you ignoring me?
The cat ignored the mouse.
We ignored the rules of the game.
It is hard to ignore the facts of the situation.
The government ignored public opinion on the matter.
She ignored his advice and went anyway.
Don't ignore your health problems.
The company ignored the complaints from customers.
He ignored the red light and kept driving.
Ignoring the problem won't make it go away.
They ignored the cultural differences.
He deliberately ignored the protocols established by the board.
She felt ignored by her colleagues during the meeting.
Ignoring the evidence led to a flawed conclusion.
The architect ignored the limitations of the small space.
It is often better to ignore minor irritations.
They chose to ignore the potential risks involved.
He was accused of ignoring the safety regulations.
Ignoring the siren, he continued his work.
The scientist chose to ignore the anomalous data points.
He ignored the social hierarchy to speak his mind.
Ignoring the gravity of the situation was his biggest mistake.
The author ignored traditional narrative structures.
She ignored the subtle hints he was dropping.
Ignoring the noise, she focused on her task.
The system is designed to ignore errors under a certain threshold.
He ignored the siren call of fame.
His refusal to acknowledge the truth was a form of self-imposed ignorance.
The artist ignored the constraints of the medium to create something new.
Ignoring the prevailing orthodoxy, she forged her own path.
The policy was ignored by the very people it was meant to protect.
He ignored the whispers of doubt that plagued him.
The law was ignored in favor of political expediency.
Ignoring the passage of time, he remained frozen in the past.
She ignored the conventional wisdom of the era.
Colocaciones comunes
Idioms & Expressions
"turn a blind eye"
to pretend not to see something
The teacher turned a blind eye to the cheating.
neutral"give the cold shoulder"
to ignore someone intentionally
She gave him the cold shoulder all evening.
casual"bury one's head in the sand"
to ignore an obvious problem
Stop burying your head in the sand about your debts.
neutral"sweep under the rug"
to hide or ignore a problem
They tried to sweep the scandal under the rug.
neutral"pay no mind"
to not care about something
Pay no mind to what they say.
casual"look the other way"
to ignore wrongdoing
The guard looked the other way.
neutralEasily Confused
Same root
Ignorant is an adjective (lacking knowledge), ignore is a verb.
He is ignorant (adj) and he ignores (verb) the facts.
Similar meaning
Overlook is usually accidental; ignore is intentional.
I overlooked the typo, but I ignored the email.
Similar meaning
Neglect implies a responsibility.
He neglected his duties.
Similar meaning
Avoid means staying away; ignore means not paying attention.
I avoid the park; I ignore the noise.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + ignore + Object
I ignore the noise.
Do not + ignore + Object
Do not ignore the rules.
Subject + is/are + ignoring + Object
He is ignoring me.
Subject + ignored + Object + because + Reason
She ignored the call because she was busy.
It is + impossible/hard + to ignore + Object
It is hard to ignore the truth.
Familia de palabras
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Relacionado
How to Use It
8/10
Formality Scale
Errores comunes
Ignorant is an adjective, ignore is the verb.
Ignore means you know but choose to disregard.
Ignore is a transitive verb; no preposition needed.
Ignore is active; overlook is often passive/accidental.
Ignore is a choice; forgetting is a memory failure.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a person standing in front of you waving, but you are wearing a blindfold.
When Native Speakers Use It
Used when someone is annoying you or when you are busy.
Cultural Insight
In some cultures, ignoring someone is a way to avoid conflict.
Grammar Shortcut
Ignore + [Person/Thing]. No 'to' or 'at' needed.
Say It Right
Focus on the 'ig' sound, like 'igloo'.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't say 'I ignore to the message'.
Did You Know?
It comes from Latin for 'not knowing'.
Study Smart
Write 5 sentences about things you try to ignore.
Professional Setting
Use 'disregard' instead of 'ignore' for a more formal tone.
Rhyme Time
It rhymes with 'restore'—easy to remember!
Memorize It
Mnemonic
I-G-N-O-R-E: I Give No Opinion Regarding Everything.
Visual Association
A person wearing giant noise-canceling headphones.
Word Web
Desafío
Try to ignore one minor distraction for 10 minutes today.
Origen de la palabra
Latin
Original meaning: not to know
Contexto cultural
Can be seen as a form of social aggression or bullying.
Used frequently in social contexts to describe 'ghosting' or social exclusion.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
At work
- ignore the feedback
- ignore the deadline
- ignore the email
In relationships
- ignore my texts
- ignore the argument
- ignore his behavior
Driving
- ignore the sign
- ignore the speed limit
- ignore the traffic
Studying
- ignore the distractions
- ignore the noise
- ignore the irrelevant info
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever had to ignore someone?"
"Is it ever okay to ignore the rules?"
"How do you ignore distractions when studying?"
"Do you think social media makes it easier to ignore people?"
"What is the hardest thing to ignore?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you ignored something important.
Why do people choose to ignore the truth?
Describe a situation where ignoring someone was the right choice.
How does it feel to be ignored?
Preguntas frecuentes
8 preguntasYes, it is often perceived as rude or dismissive.
Yes, you can ignore a sign or a notification.
Ignore is a choice; forget is an accident.
Neglect implies a duty to care that you failed; ignore is just not paying attention.
Add -ed: ignored.
Yes, it needs an object.
Yes, that is a very common usage.
The noun is ignorance, but it refers to the state of not knowing.
Ponte a prueba
Please do not ___ me.
Context requires a social verb.
What does 'ignore' mean?
Definition check.
Ignoring someone is usually an accident.
Ignoring is a deliberate choice.
Word
Significado
Synonym matching.
Subject-Verb-Object order.
The scientist ___ the data that did not fit.
Scientific context for disregarding data.
Which is a synonym for ignore?
Overlook is the closest synonym.
You can ignore a physical object.
You can choose not to look at or interact with an object.
Negative imperative structure.
Choose the correct sentence.
Transitive verb usage.
Puntuación: /10
Summary
To ignore is to consciously choose not to acknowledge something that you are aware of.
- Ignore means to pay no attention.
- It is a deliberate choice.
- It is a transitive verb.
- It is related to the word 'ignorant'.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a person standing in front of you waving, but you are wearing a blindfold.
When Native Speakers Use It
Used when someone is annoying you or when you are busy.
Cultural Insight
In some cultures, ignoring someone is a way to avoid conflict.
Grammar Shortcut
Ignore + [Person/Thing]. No 'to' or 'at' needed.
Ejemplo
In context, `ignorer` expresses: to not know.
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