# go in one ear and out the other

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/go-in-one-ear-and-out-the-other
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To be heard but not attended to, when a person fails to pay attention.

## Examples

- His advice went in one ear and out the other.
- I told her three times, but it went in one ear and out the other.
- The lecture on tax regulations went in one ear and out the other, leaving him no wiser than before.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.
