ignorance is bliss

idiom

Meaning

You're better off not knowing

Origin

first recorded 18th c. disputed origin

From Thomas Gray's 'Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College' (1742): 'where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.'

Examples

SIMPLE

I do not want to know the calories; ignorance is bliss.

CONTEXTUAL

She decided not to read the online reviews of the hotel before her trip, believing that ignorance is bliss.

COMPLEX

While some argue for total transparency in governance, others maintain that ignorance is bliss when the truth is too troubling for the public to handle.

Last updated June 7, 2026