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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
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 That case requires a public official claiming defamation to prove the defendant knew their statement was false at the time or demonstrated reckless disregard of its falsity, a standard known as actual malice. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Verb
For the next several months, Zaayer continued harassing both Shawna's family and the police by shouting at their grandchild, disregarding property lines and recording them and making false claims on social media, per The Guardian. Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 From Montesquieu’s perspective, polarization worsens this appetite for disregarding constitutional norms. Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 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
  • Grumpy and dour George I, who predominately spoke German and little English despite being an English king, despised his heir, George Augustus.
    Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026
  • Lenin despised its predecessor, municipal socialism, for much the same reason.
    Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • The suspect allegedly attempted to flee again by jumping fences and ignoring the officers’ commands to stop, but was apprehended and placed in custody.
    Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 16 July 2026
  • But aside from dispatching shotgun-toting police agents to keep an eye on them, Venezuelan authorities mostly ignored the protesters.
    John Otis, NPR, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • From the side, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a hill; a thick carpet of grass grows up the walls and over the roof.
    Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2026
  • The final few episodes’ excessive melodrama is easily forgiven when what’s good here — above-average fights, solid jokes, and a game cast — isn’t so easy to forget.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
Noun
  • The decades of societal and political indifference have been costly.
    Isabella Cueto, STAT, 14 July 2026
  • If the season ended today, the Marlins, despite their profound indifference to winning or losing, would be in the playoffs.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • The final few episodes’ excessive melodrama is easily forgiven when what’s good here — above-average fights, solid jokes, and a game cast — isn’t so easy to forget.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • Handily, there is a Hollywood-esque REGENT sign plonked right there, should their Instagram followers ever forget where those selfies were taken.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Verb
  • Those uninterested in the South of France or the northeastern tip of Spain could enjoy the Mediterranean climate on Gothic-style rooftop terraces overlooking the lush Turkish forest.
    Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026
  • Put every kind of genius to work, especially the kind your rivals overlook.
    André Martin, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Max Cady should be an unsettling interruption, a man who undermines our ideas of right and wrong through his nonchalance about his own wickedness; here, the most unsettling thing about him are those teal contact lenses.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disregard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disregard. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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