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Definition of disregardnext

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

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
This is an infuriating bait-and-switch case compounded by a gross disregard for public health and safety. Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 6 July 2026 There are several, and despite this administration’s blithe disregard for environmental safety, America’s 250th birthday offers a striking opportunity to consider them. Char Miller, Time, 30 June 2026
Verb
But this is great news for Liam, who is clearly into her enough to completely disregard Hudson’s boundary request. Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026 Salgado Araujo, the department added, was shot after disregarding orders and attempting to ram an agent, who fired his weapon in self-defense. María Verza, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for disregard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disregard
Noun
  • She would have been floored by the casualness that has seeped into society today, from wearing pajamas on flights to sweatpants to dinner.
    Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 14 June 2026
  • Seydoux also approaches her beauty with a quintessentially French casualness.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • But Kennedy despises the technology and has spread significant misinformation about mRNA technology.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
  • Many of them despise Trump because of what ICE has done to their communities, which includes rounding up and detaining people who are here in the country legally, many of whom were born here.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • The aftermath of the fire has been litigious, with tenants accusing companies of not maintaining safety systems, ignoring complaints about fireworks and failing to secure the property after the fire.
    Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 24 July 2026
  • The fact that those foreign students often want to stay in the US to contribute to either scientific or commercial endeavors is ignored.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026
Verb
  • And in a sign that all may truly be forgiven, ESPN reported that not long after Kiffin bailed for Baton Rouge Golding bought his house in Oxford.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • The 6-Step Forgiveness Rehearsal Kimmel's research points to a simple forgiveness practice anyone can try, whether or not the other person ever finds out that they’ve been forgiven.
    Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Nowhere is this indifference to people more apparent than in the treatment of female characters (at least the ones who aren’t big splashy cameos) as rewards or status symbols or spoils of war.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026
  • Consumers with authority tend to recognize when a category has not been designed with them in mind, and indifference from brands has a way of becoming indifference to brands.
    Ray Lansigan, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • With just one year left on his contract and a 2025 season worth forgetting, a bounce-back will be big for him in 2026.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • Skubal pitched in a major-league game only 38 days after surgery, a feat that almost feels forgotten given all that has happened around him.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • The album that followed a couple of years later has become such an enormous phenomenon, one that somehow grows more beloved with each passing decade, that the impact of 1975’s Fleetwood Mac has been somewhat overlooked.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
  • In September 2025 Roki delivered a new level of luxury to Queenstown with this stunner of an all-suite hotel overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps, just two minutes from town.
    Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 23 July 2026
Noun
  • Spain’s talisman was Lamine Yamal, its nineteen-year-old right winger, who plays the game with bleached tips, implausible speed, and nonchalance, but its superego was Rodri, the team’s central midfielder and captain.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • But in the era of dating apps − essentially another form of social media − the nonchalance with which so many approach dating has gotten out of hand.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 29 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disregard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disregard. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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