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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ignore

The worst thing any tax filer can do is ignore a notice or letter from the Internal Revenue Service. —Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 30 Oct. 2025

O’Brien contended that only the chair can designate an acting chair, and that her designation of Roy as acting chair the day before her suspension was ignored. —State House News Service, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025

County social workers appeared to repeatedly ignore evidence of the danger Sophia was in under her mother’s care, and did not elevate allegations of abuse to law enforcement in a timely fashion, the investigations found. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025

At some point, the truth becomes impossible to ignore. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Oct. 2025