IGNORE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ignore mean? 

• IGNORE (verb)
  The verb IGNORE has 5 senses:

1. refuse to acknowledge

2. bar from attention or consideration

3. fail to notice

4. give little or no attention to

5. be ignorant of or in the dark about

  Familiarity information: IGNORE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IGNORE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they ignore    ... he / she / it ignores   
Past simple: ignored   
Past participle: ignored   
-ing form: ignoring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Refuse to acknowledge

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

cut; disregard; ignore; snub

Context example:

She cut him dead at the meeting

Hypernyms (to "ignore" is one way to...):

do by; handle; treat (interact in a certain way)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bar from attention or consideration

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

brush aside; brush off; discount; dismiss; disregard; ignore; push aside

Context example:

She dismissed his advances

Hypernyms (to "ignore" is one way to...):

reject (refuse to accept or acknowledge)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ignore"):

cold-shoulder; slight (pay no attention to, disrespect)

discredit (cause to be distrusted or disbelieved)

shrug off (minimize the importance of, brush aside)

pass off (disregard)

flout; scoff (treat with contemptuous disregard)

turn a blind eye (refuse to acknowledge)

laugh away; laugh off (deal with a problem by laughing or pretending to be amused by it)

disoblige (ignore someone's wishes)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Fail to notice

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ignore"):

pass up (fail to acknowledge)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Antonym:

notice (notice or perceive)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Give little or no attention to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

disregard; ignore; neglect

Context example:

Disregard the errors

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ignore"):

pretermit (disregard intentionally or let pass)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be ignorant of or in the dark about

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Antonym:

know (be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about)

Derivation:

ignorance (the lack of knowledge or education)

 Context examples 

Several of his letters being ignored, Martin indicted an angry one which drew a reply.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He ignored my sarcasm, saying, “Suppose I clap the hatch on, now? You won’t fool me as you did in the lazarette.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

White Fang began by ignoring him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

But he ignored me, for the picture he had in mind was before his eyes and he was seeing it.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Describes behavior that ignores the rights of others and the practices and laws of society.

(Antisocial, NCI Dictionary)

You're working at your desk, trying to ignore the tingling or numbness you've had for some time in your hand and wrist.

(Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

"I never shall forgive you," was Jo's stern answer, and from that moment she ignored Amy entirely.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The appeal was one which could not be ignored.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If the cued side changed color, the monkey should release the lever, but if the non-cued (foil) side changed color, the monkey should ignore it.

(Researchers discover neural code that predicts behavior, National Institutes of Health)

Its equilibrium temperature — that is, the temperature based only on energy it receives from the star, which ignores additional warming effects from a possible atmosphere — is around 490 degrees Fahrenheit (254 degrees Celsius).

(NASA’s TESS Mission Scores ‘Hat Trick’ With 3 New Worlds, NASA)