tune out

verb

tuned out; tuning out; tunes out

transitive verb

: to become unresponsive to : ignore

intransitive verb

: to dissociate oneself from what is happening or one's surroundings

Examples of tune out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Despite jitters investors may feel, experts say stock investors should tune out rate moves. Tanza Loudenback, wsj.com, 1 Nov. 2023 Among the designer's illustrious friends who tuned out were Martha Stewart, Sarita Choudhury, Eugenie Niarchos, Fernando Jorge, Megha Kapoor, Jamie Creel, Marco Scarani, Carlos Mota, and Pamela Golbin. Mario Abad, Vogue, 6 Nov. 2023 The family has tried to tune out the news as much as possible. Richard Engel, NBC News, 3 Nov. 2023 By the half-hour mark the supervisor watching the interview had tuned out completely. Omar El Akkad, Harper's Magazine, 27 Sep. 2023 In a crowded store environment, retail audio advertising offers the only communications vehicle shoppers cannot — and do not want to — tune out. Amanda Dorenberg, Rolling Stone, 5 Oct. 2023 While Tamara tries to tune out the stress of war by watching television shows, the boy takes a restorative nap. Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Oct. 2023 There are now two workplace archetypes: blenders, people who work passively throughout an entire day, and splitters, who work profusely during scheduled work hours and tune out afterward. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2023 Earbuds $140 $68 These wireless, noise-canceling earbuds from Samsung are the most useful tool for tuning out the background noise of your flight in a bid to get some shut-eye. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tune out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tune out was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near tune out

Cite this Entry

“Tune out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tune%20out. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

tune out

verb
: to stop paying attention to what is happening or to one's surroundings
thinking about the work and tuning everything else out

More from Merriam-Webster on tune out

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