# ignore

/ˌɪɡˈnɔɹ/ (US) · /ɪɡnˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ignore
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to disregard information

verb · CEFR B1

to choose not to listen to or pay attention to something, like advice or a warning.

For teachers: to deliberately disregard or pay no attention to information, advice, or a stimulus.

- I decided to ignore his rude comments and keep working.
- The board of directors chose to ignore the consultant's warnings about the declining market, a decision that eventually led to a significant financial loss.

Usage: Takes a direct object; cannot be followed by an infinitive with 'to'.

### 2. to snub someone

verb · CEFR B1

to pretend you do not see or hear someone you know.

For teachers: to intentionally fail to acknowledge a person's presence or communication.

- She ignored me in the hallway even though I said hello.
- Despite having worked together for years, he pointedly ignored his former colleague at the industry conference.

Teaching tip: This sense often implies a social 'snub' and can be perceived as quite aggressive or rude depending on the context.

## Examples

- I try to ignore the loud noise outside.
- If you ignore the warning lights on your car dashboard, you might cause serious damage to the engine.
- While it is tempting to ignore minor inconsistencies in the data, a rigorous researcher must investigate every outlier to ensure the integrity of the final report.

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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.