ignore

ignore — verb

1. to choose not to react to something or not to let it affect what you do, even th

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to choose not to react to something or not to let it affect what you do, even though you are aware of it

Example

Sivan ignored the urgent messages from his bank because he was busy preparing for exams.

ignore + message / warning — common object type

Drivers who ignore red traffic lights put everyone on the road in danger.

Common collocations
  • ignore + warning / warning signs
  • ignore + advice / suggestion
  • ignore + problem / issue
  • ignore + instructions / rules
  • ignore + fact / evidence
  • ignore + pain / discomfort
  • ignore + noise / sound
  • cannot ignore + something
  • completely / entirely / simply ignore
Synonyms
  • disregard

    more formal than ignore; often used in writing and official contexts

  • overlook

    accidental, not deliberate — the opposite of ignore in intentionality

  • neglect

    implies failing to give proper care or attention over a period of time

Antonyms
  • heed

    formal; to pay attention to advice or a warning

  • pay attention to

    the direct opposite, more common in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

ignore + noun phrase

Usage Note

Frequently passive ('the problem was ignored'). Unlike 'overlook' (accidental) or 'neglect' (implies failing to care for), 'ignore' always carries a sense of deliberate choice.

Common Mistakes

I ignored the spelling mistake accidentally.
I overlooked the spelling mistake accidentally.
'ignore' is deliberate; 'overlook' means you failed to notice by accident.
She ignored her plants and they died.
She neglected her plants and they died.
'neglect' implies not giving enough care to someone or something over time; 'ignore' describes a single act of paying no attention.

2. to behave towards someone you know as if they are not there, usually because you

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to behave towards someone you know as if they are not there, usually because you do not want to speak to them or you are upset with them

Example

At the office party, Devika saw her former colleague but chose to ignore her completely.

completely ignore — adverb intensifier showing degree of deliberate avoidance

Reporters shouted questions at the minister, but she ignored them and walked into the building.

Common collocations
  • ignore + someone / a person / a group
  • completely / entirely ignore someone
  • deliberately ignore someone
  • ignore someone by [doing something]
  • be ignored (passive)
Synonyms
  • snub

    stronger and more offensive than ignore; implies a clear public insult

  • cut

    informal, British; to pretend not to know someone as a deliberate social insult

  • avoid

    broader meaning; you can avoid someone without the deliberate pretending-not-to-see element

Antonyms
  • acknowledge

    to show that you have seen and recognized someone

  • greet

    to welcome someone with words or a gesture

Grammar Patterns

ignore + person

Usage Note

The object is always a person or a group of people. This sense describes a deliberate social act, not simply a failure to notice someone. Distinguish from sense 1, where the object is a thing, piece of information, or event.

Common Mistakes

She ignored the email from her boss.' (When meaning she avoided the boss at work.)
She ignored her boss at the office party.
Use sense 1 for information/objects; use sense 2 specifically for people you deliberately avoid acknowledging.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe giving insufficient attention to something, but they differ in intention and duration. 'Ignore' is deliberate — you know about something and choose not to react. 'Overlook' is accidental — you fail to notice something by mistake, such as overlooking a typo in an email. 'Neglect' implies a longer-term failure to give proper care or attention, like neglecting your health or your responsibilities. 'Disregard' is similar to ignore but more formal and often used in official or legal contexts. For example: She ignored her friend's warning (deliberate), overlooked the small error in the report (accidental), neglected her dental check-ups for years (ongoing failure), and completely disregarded the safety rules (formal/deliberate).

ignore ↗overlook ↗neglect ↗disregard

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'ignorare' meaning 'to not know, to be unaware of', formed from the prefix 'in-' (not) and 'gnarus' (knowing). The original meaning of 'not know' shifted in the 16th–17th centuries to the current sense of 'deliberately refuse to pay attention to'.