disregard 1 of 2

Definition of disregardnext

disregard

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word disregard distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of disregard are forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

In what contexts can forget take the place of disregard?

The words forget and disregard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When would ignore be a good substitute for disregard?

While the synonyms ignore and disregard are close in meaning, ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When is neglect a more appropriate choice than disregard?

The words neglect and disregard can be used in similar contexts, 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 disregard?

The synonyms overlook and disregard are sometimes interchangeable, but overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

When might slight be a better fit than disregard?

In some situations, the words slight and disregard are roughly equivalent. However, slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

How is the word disregard distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of disregard are forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, and slight. While all these words mean "to pass over without giving due attention," disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

In what contexts can forget take the place of disregard?

The words forget and disregard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

When would ignore be a good substitute for disregard?

While the synonyms ignore and disregard are close in meaning, ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

When is neglect a more appropriate choice than disregard?

The words neglect and disregard can be used in similar contexts, 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 disregard?

The synonyms overlook and disregard are sometimes interchangeable, but overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

When might slight be a better fit than disregard?

In some situations, the words slight and disregard are roughly equivalent. However, slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disregard
Noun
Others operate with a casual disregard for any rules. Joy Sewing, Houston Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026 Trump’s refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, his failure to learn from past administrations about foreign policy strategy, and his disregard for constitutional checks and balances all reflect his own profound gaps in understanding. Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
Officers issued a man in the driver's seat citations for driving in the left lane in a no-passing zone and disregarding traffic signs and signals. Annasofia Scheve, San Antonio Express-News, 13 Mar. 2026 Hezbollah, the paramilitary group in Lebanon, got involved in the conflict, disregarding the state’s sovereignty and firing missiles and drones from Lebanese territory at an Israeli military site near Haifa. Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disregard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disregard
Noun
  • The house did not have a European or East Coast seriousness, but rather a Californian dimension rooted in casualness, improvisation, and lack of pretension.
    Rem Koolhaas, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
  • In beach towns or summer destinations, hats and tank tops can be more about comfort than casualness, prompting some to wonder how consistently the rules can be enforced.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Though Brigitta despises him, Maria shelters him.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Iowans despised slavery, treasured 'radical experiment' Thirteen Iowans died and 141 were wounded in the rout of the Union forces at Wilson's Creek.
    Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This is a youngster in great form and proving hard to ignore.
    Simon Johnson, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Some Democrats argue that the cost of ignoring young male voters is higher than the risk of association with Piker.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Women who report abuse are too often told to forgive, submit, or stay silent.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Not forgive, not empathize, just listen with an open mind.
    Liana Finck, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Would a cyberattack that kills people finally shake us out of our indifference?
    Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Wilkens was serving a life sentence for shooting and killing her ex-fiancé after years of abuse and stalking and indifference from the police.
    Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • And don't forget to join the Bake Club Group chat over on Substack.
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
  • And Gulf citizens aren’t going to forgive and forget.
    Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Camouflaged in a valley speckled with just a handful of villas and farmsteads, the 16 stone houses overlook the naked dunes and sensational sunsets of Livadia Bay.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The airline placed everyone seeking information in a conference room that overlooked the Potomac River, where the wreckage of Flight 5342 bobbed in the water.
    Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Among many Niger Deltans, there’s a mixture of ignorance, nonchalance, and clenched resignation around the industry’s environmental dangers, which take a back seat as folks get on with the business of everyday survival.
    Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
  • As Hüller approaches her father at the keyboard, her anger manifests as a kind of bored nonchalance.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disregard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disregard. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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