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
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Recent Examples of ignorance
And both reckon with the extent to which historical ignorance and the calculated distortion of the past threaten the foundation on which our country was built.
—
Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
That denial of reality — rooted in ignorance and contempt for science — is now official policy, as evidenced by the EPA’s rescinding of its landmark finding that greenhouse gases harm public health.
—James Speyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Of particular concern, the organization took steps to hide its money in shell political action committees and coordinated donations via individual donors while the candidates who benefited often feigned ignorance about enormous donations and expenditures.
—Jesse Jackson Jr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
That ignorance has a price tag—$39 trillion and climbing.
—Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignorance
Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
That denial of reality — rooted in ignorance and contempt for science — is now official policy, as evidenced by the EPA’s rescinding of its landmark finding that greenhouse gases harm public health.
—James Speyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Of particular concern, the organization took steps to hide its money in shell political action committees and coordinated donations via individual donors while the candidates who benefited often feigned ignorance about enormous donations and expenditures.
—Jesse Jackson Jr, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
That ignorance has a price tag—$39 trillion and climbing.
—Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ignorance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ignorance
Noun
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In between, though, the Mets showed their unfamiliarity with running the bases.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Others mocked the outlet’s apparent unfamiliarity with the logistics of covering Congress.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
They were not allowed to use their logo — a cricket bat — which is crucial in a country that has a high illiteracy rate.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The pattern is so consistent across the centuries that ignoring this requires a willful act of historical illiteracy.—
Anthony Scaramucci,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Burke’s attorney, Blair Berk, entered the pleas on the singer’s behalf and reiterated his claim of innocence.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Lanez maintained his innocence.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
20 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
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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
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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
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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
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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 24 Apr. 2026.
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