Synonyms of ignore

ignore

verb

ig-ˈnȯr 

1

as in to forget

to fail to give proper attention to

ignoring your health now will haunt you further down the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forget
• disregard
• overlook
• neglect
• miss
• reject
• bypass
• omit
• pass over
• slight
• fail
• slur (over)
• overpass
• disdain
• brush (aside or off)
• slough (off)
• shrug off
• scorn
• scant
• pooh
• skimp
• pooh-pooh
• sluff (off)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tend (to)
• heed
• appreciate
• attend (to)
• regard
• mind
• remember
• treasure
• value
• prize
• cultivate
• foster
• nurse
• follow
• cherish
• watch
• listen (to)
• notice
• observe
• nurture
• note
• mark
• pamper
• remark

2

as in to forgive

to dismiss as of little importance

although the movie is a cinematic tour de force, one can't ignore the fact that it seriously distorts history

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forgive
• overlook
• explain
• disregard
• justify
• excuse
• pardon
• condone
• forgive and forget
• discount
• pass over
• whitewash
• remit
• brush (aside or off)
• shrug off
• gloss (over)
• paper over
• blink (at)
• wink (at)
• rationalize
• overpass
• gloze (over)
• close one's eyes to
• vindicate
• waive
• exonerate
• absolve
• exculpate
• acquit
• wave (aside or off)
• clear

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• note
• mind
• mark
• object (to)
• heed

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ignore distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of ignore are disregard, forget, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When is disregard a more appropriate choice than ignore?

The words disregard and ignore are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

When could forget be used to replace ignore?

Although the words forget and ignore have much in common, forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When can neglect be used instead of ignore?

The synonyms neglect and ignore are sometimes interchangeable, but neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

Where would overlook be a reasonable alternative to ignore?

The words overlook and ignore can be used in similar contexts, but overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

When would slight be a good substitute for ignore?

While the synonyms slight and ignore are close in meaning, slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of ignore

On the day of what is without exaggeration being called the most consequential election of our time, ignoring political news in favor of watching an antique cheese slicer being restored may seem frivolous. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

But the coincidence with the details of Samuel Causton’s baggage was too striking to ignore. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

Tech company CEOs who largely sat on the sidelines for the presidential election sent their congratulations Wednesday to President-elect Donald Trump, ignoring Trump’s history of threats against some of them and joining their peer Elon Musk in welcoming Trump back to power. —David Ingram, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024

Those, contrary to the plan, can safely be ignored, and are. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024