Ignore Meaning

UK /ɪɡˈnɔː/
US /ɪɡˈnɔːr/
Word Definition
ignore meaning

Ignore Definition & Usage

verb

To deliberately pay no attention to someone or something.

Examples

  • "She decided to ignore the negative comments and focus on her work."
  • "He ignored the warning signs and went ahead with the risky plan."
  • "I asked her to stop, but she just ignored me."
  • "The teacher ignored the student’s question, hoping they would figure it out themselves."
  • "The loud music in the background made it hard for him to ignore the noise outside."
verb

To make a program or system disregard certain inputs, errors, or notifications.

Examples

  • "You can ignore the system alerts during maintenance mode."
  • "If an error occurs, the software will ignore it and continue processing."
  • "The app allows users to ignore pop-up ads while browsing."
  • "The firewall ignored all non-critical traffic during the update."
  • "The script was set to ignore files that were over a certain size."

Cultural Context

'Ignore' is often associated with social situations, particularly when someone chooses not to acknowledge another person's presence or needs. It carries negative connotations in personal relationships but is a neutral or even positive term in technical and computing contexts.

The Unseen Choice

Story

The Unseen Choice

In the bustling city of Etherfield, two friends, Zoe and Liam, spent their afternoon in the park. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the busy streets, but Zoe seemed to be somewhere else entirely. As Liam eagerly shared his latest ideas for a business venture, Zoe barely listened, her eyes fixed on her phone screen. 'Are you even listening to me?' Liam asked, clearly frustrated. Zoe looked up, a bit startled, but then sighed. 'Sorry, I’m just ignoring everything else today. It's been a long week.' She chuckled nervously, but Liam wasn’t amused. 'It feels like you’re ignoring me, not just your phone.' Zoe paused, realizing that her choice to 'ignore' his words wasn’t just about her screen—it was a form of emotional detachment, a way to shut off from the pressures of the world. 'I didn’t mean to,' she admitted. 'I guess it’s easier to ignore things when they seem too overwhelming.' The conversation shifted to a more serious tone, and Liam, still hurt, explained how ignoring problems only made them worse in the long run. As the evening wore on, Zoe felt a tug of guilt. She realized that sometimes, ignoring things wasn't the solution—it just led to more isolation and misunderstandings. In the end, both friends agreed that while ignoring certain distractions might help in the moment, it never solved the underlying issues. They parted ways with a newfound respect for truly listening to one another, choosing to not ignore the important things in their lives.

The Unseen Choice