1
as in unfamiliarity
the state of being unaware or uninformed
ignorance of the law is no excuse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in illiteracy
the state of being unlearned
with such vast sums spent on education, the level of ignorance among graduating seniors is a national disgrace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 ignorance
That ignorance has a price tag—$39 trillion and climbing.
—
Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Disagreeing with presidential actions is one thing, but opining on the psychology behind his decisions shows ignorance.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Keenan had spent time in the Peace Corps and had drifted around the world afterward, coming away with the conception that Americans’ ignorance of other cultures had led the country directly into the wood chipper of Vietnam.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignorance
Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Disagreeing with presidential actions is one thing, but opining on the psychology behind his decisions shows ignorance.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Keenan had spent time in the Peace Corps and had drifted around the world afterward, coming away with the conception that Americans’ ignorance of other cultures had led the country directly into the wood chipper of Vietnam.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignorance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignorance
Noun
-
Because of his smaller size and the coaches’ unfamiliarity with his game, Hicks was placed on the school’s second-level 15U prep team.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
With time, any initial uneasiness and unfamiliarity on the part of our students gives way to a clearer understanding of preparedness and the confidence to act as their own first line of defense.—
Gayle Pearlstein,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The pattern is so consistent across the centuries that ignoring this requires a willful act of historical illiteracy.—
Anthony Scaramucci,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Their parents sign their names with trembling hands that carry the invisible weight of illiteracy.—
Joyeeta Banerjee,
NPR,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Machado maintained his innocence to reporters postgame, but his history with the Red Sox did him no favors.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Adapted for television by Adolescence co-creator, Emmy winner Jack Thorne, in Lord of the Flies, innocence descends into savagery when a group of English schoolboys becomes desert island castaways.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If not for the stupidity of Joe Biden and the Democrats, ICE would have an easier job.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Smart, skilled, hardworking people gracefully put up with all manner of tragedy, stupidity, and institutional rot.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The initial photos or videos were ones of unawareness of what is about to go down.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
At the same time, Weinberger added, the greatest treatment obstacle is patients not taking their medications — sometimes due to anosognosia, the unawareness of being ill, which affects 50% to 98% of people with schizophrenia.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike its sibling concepts of dumbness and idiocy, stupidity isn’t really a personality trait.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Compare that to punk rock, which used dumbness as a tactic.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This fantasy chat plays out in all its white cluelessness as the sitcom rewinds and repeats on mute.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
But shyness and cluelessness kept me from making my rendezvous with the guy that was to aid in that connection.—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This season Fears has shown both the maturity of the player who came back to discuss his actions with his head coach, and the foolishness of the hothead who responded with the hard foul.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
-
There was no foolishness tolerated from him and, of course, Magic, his lieutenant.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ignorance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ignorance. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
