tune out

verb

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Definition of tune out

transitive verb

: to become unresponsive to : ignore

intransitive verb

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

See tune out defined for kids

Recent Examples of tune out from the Web

An offended portion of the fan base has tuned out, with ratings falling and money lost.

— mike anthony, courant.com, "Mike Anthony: NFL's Approach To Anthem Protests Is Simple, Illogical," 27 May 2018
Scandal got, on some level, that occasional dramas are lots of fun but a news cycle that’s only dramas becomes endurable only by tuning out.

— daniel d'addario, Time, "Scandal Helped Define the Obama Era. And Maybe Predicted Trump's," 19 Apr. 2018
But within a month, nearly half that audience had tuned out, and the numbers eroded further with each passing week.

— dave itzkoff, HWD, "Inside the Final Days of Robin Williams," 8 May 2018
The economy is expected to have tuned out all the background noise and powered ahead in the first quarter.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Trump's base is all about his tariffs on imports," 16 Apr. 2018
There is ample evidence that the Bucks, to a certain extent, tuned out Jason Kidd.

— gary d'amato, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "D'Amato: Time not right for Becky Hammon to coach Bucks," 11 May 2018
But as much as the bureau's roughly 14,000 special agents might like to tune out the news, internal and external reports have found lapses throughout the agency, see a troubling picture.

— Fox News, "Nunes: Documents about Flynn show Comey has been lying," 4 May 2018
Republicans hoped that stamping Mr. Trump’s brand on the race would help mobilize pro-Trump voters who are otherwise mostly tuned out of politics.

— jonathan martin and alexander burns, New York Times, "No Result Yet in Pennsylvania House Race, but Democrat Declares Victory," 13 Mar. 2018
Trouble finishing things, chronic lateness, a tendency to tune out during conversations.

— steven snyder, The Cut, "When the Hidden Problem With Your Sex Life Is ADHD," 20 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tune out.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of tune out

1908

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Learn More about tune out

See words that rhyme with tune out

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up tune out? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

tune out

Definition of tune out

Recent Examples of tune out from the Web

First Known Use of tune out

Learn More about tune out

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

quail

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Words We're Watching: 'B side'

Can You Use 'Comprised of'?

Words We're Watching: '-iversary'

'Franchise': Profit from Freedom

Ask the Editors

Ghost Word

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Name More Food!

Yearbook Superlatives Quiz

Spell It

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Words We're Watching: 'B side'

Trending: DOJ Describes Comey as 'Insubordinate'

Name More Food!

9 Words for Transnational Currencies

Ghost Word

tune out

Definition of tune out

Recent Examples of tune out from the Web

First Known Use of tune out

Learn More about tune out

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Words We're Watching: 'B side'

Trending: DOJ Describes Comey as 'Insubordinate'

Name More Food!

9 Words for Transnational Currencies

Ghost Word