# ignorance is bliss

idiom · CEFR B2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ignorance-is-bliss
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

You're better off not knowing

## Examples

- I do not want to know the calories; ignorance is bliss.
- She decided not to read the online reviews of the hotel before her trip, believing that ignorance is bliss.
- 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.

## Origin

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

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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.