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Idioms are fun phrases where the words together mean something totally different from what they say one by one. People use them to make talking and writing more colorful, exciting, and full of life. Today, you are going to learn a bunch of helpful idioms that all have to do with ignoring someone or paying no attention.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms for ignoring someone that mean turning away, acting like someone isn’t there, and refusing to listen. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Ignoring Someone
1. Give the cold shoulder
Meaning: To intentionally ignore or act unfriendly toward someone.
For Example: After the argument, she decided to give her friend the cold shoulder. / Don’t give people the cold shoulder when they try to say hello.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore someone / Act unfriendly
2. Turn a blind eye
Meaning: To pretend you do not see something or choose to ignore it.
For Example: The teacher chose to turn a blind eye to the tiny whisper in class. / You cannot just turn a blind eye when someone breaks a rule.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore on purpose / Pretend not to notice
3. Fall on deaf ears
Meaning: When advice or requests are completely ignored and disregarded.
For Example: My warning about the wet floor seemed to fall on deaf ears. / His pleas to clean up the toys fell on deaf ears.
Other Ways to Say: Be ignored / Disregarded
4. Turn a deaf ear
Meaning: To refuse to listen or pay attention to what someone says.
For Example: He tried to ask for a cookie, but mom turned a deaf ear. / Don’t turn a deaf ear when your friends ask for help.
Other Ways to Say: Refuse to listen / Ignore completely
5. Cut someone dead
Meaning: To completely ignore someone as if you have never met them.
For Example: Walking past his old rival, he decided to cut him dead. / She was so upset that she cut her former classmate dead in the hallway.
Other Ways to Say: Completely ignore / Snub
6. Give someone the brush off
Meaning: To dismiss or ignore someone quickly and rudely.
For Example: He tried to ask a question, but the busy clerk gave him the brush off. / She didn’t want to talk, so she gave him the brush off.
Other Ways to Say: Dismiss / Push away
7. Look right through someone
Meaning: To stare past someone as if they are completely invisible.
For Example: He walked right past me and looked right through me without a word. / When she is mad, she will look right through you in the room.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore completely / Treat as invisible
8. Give someone the silent treatment
Meaning: To refuse to speak or communicate with someone on purpose.
For Example: After losing the game, he gave his teammates the silent treatment. / Giving the silent treatment doesn’t help solve arguments.
Other Ways to Say: Refuse to talk / Stop communicating
9. Brush under the carpet
Meaning: To ignore a problem or person hoping everyone will forget.
For Example: You cannot just brush your broken promise under the carpet. / Dealing with the issue is better than trying to brush it under the carpet.
Other Ways to Say: Hide the problem / Ignore issue
10. Play opossum
Meaning: To pretend to be asleep or unaware to avoid dealing with someone.
For Example: When it was time for chores, my little brother tried to play opossum on the sofa. / The dog played opossum when it was time for a bath.
Other Ways to Say: Pretend ignorance / Act asleep
11. Stick your head in the sand
Meaning: To ignore a clear problem and hope it goes away by itself.
For Example: Do not stick your head in the sand when your homework is due. / Pretending trouble doesn’t exist by sticking your head in the sand won’t work.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid reality / Ignore trouble
12. Give someone the runaround
Meaning: To ignore someone’s direct questions by giving confusing answers.
For Example: The store clerk gave us the runaround instead of answering our question. / Stop giving me the runaround and tell me where my book is.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid answering / Delay
13. Give a wide berth
Meaning: To stay away from someone or something and ignore them completely.
For Example: The puppy was barking loudly, so we decided to give it a wide berth. / It is best to give angry people a wide berth.
Other Ways to Say: Stay away / Avoid
14. Give someone the slip
Meaning: To escape or slip away from someone who is trying to talk to you.
For Example: The mischievous kitten tried to give me the slip under the bed. / He gave his noisy siblings the slip and went to read quietly.
Other Ways to Say: Escape / Evade
15. Turn your back on someone
Meaning: To refuse to help or completely ignore someone in need.
For Example: A true friend will never turn their back on you during hard times. / You should not turn your back on classmates who need support.
Other Ways to Say: Abandon / Refuse help
16. Give someone the cold eye
Meaning: To look at someone with unfriendly indifference and ignore them.
For Example: When he interrupted her reading, she gave him the cold eye. / She walked past him giving the cold eye.
Other Ways to Say: Look coldly / Ignore
17. Close your eyes to something
Meaning: To deliberately ignore a bad situation or wrongdoing.
For Example: We cannot close our eyes to the trash left on the playground. / The manager chose to close his eyes to the messy office.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore intentionally / Overlook
18. Tune out
Meaning: To stop listening to someone and let your mind wander away.
For Example: The lecture was so long that I started to tune out. / Dad kept talking, but my little brother began to tune out.
Other Ways to Say: Stop listening / Ignore sound
19. Turn a blind eye to facts Meaning: Refusing to look at truth or evidence on purpose.
Meaning: Refusing to look at truth or evidence on purpose.
For Example: Don’t turn a blind eye to facts when doing your science report. / Ignoring data means you turn a blind eye to facts.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore truth / Overlook data
20. Shut the door on someone Meaning: To refuse to listen or completely reject someone’s ideas.
Meaning: To refuse to listen or completely reject someone’s ideas.
For Example: The committee decided to shut the door on the new project proposal. / Don’t shut the door on helpful suggestions from classmates.
Other Ways to Say: Reject / Ignore ideas
21. Look the other way Meaning: To pretend you do not see someone or an event happening.
Meaning: To pretend you do not see someone or an event happening.
For Example: When the puppy stole a sock, mom chose to look the other way and smile. / You shouldn’t look the other way when someone needs help.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore / Pretend not to see
22. Give someone a blank stare Meaning: Staring at someone with no expression, showing total disinterest.
Meaning: Staring at someone with no expression, showing total disinterest.
For Example: When asked the hard question, he just gave the teacher a blank stare. / She gave me a blank stare when I told the silly joke.
Other Ways to Say: Stare blankly / Show no interest
23. Let it go in one ear and out the other Meaning: Hearing something and immediately ignoring or forgetting it.
Meaning: Hearing something and immediately ignoring or forgetting it.
For Example: Cleaning instructions always seem to go in one ear and out the other for him. / Don’t let teacher advice go in one ear and out the other.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore advice / Forget instantly
24. Pretend not to notice Meaning: Deliberately acting as if you are unaware of someone’s presence.
Meaning: Deliberately acting as if you are unaware of someone’s presence.
For Example: I saw my neighbor waving, but I decided to pretend not to notice. / She walked past the dropped pencil and pretended not to notice.
Other Ways to Say: Act unaware / Ignore on purpose
25. Turn a deaf ear to complaints Meaning: Refusing to listen to anyone complaining about rules.
Meaning: Refusing to listen to anyone complaining about rules.
For Example: The camp leader had to turn a deaf ear to complaints about chores. / Management decided to turn a deaf ear to complaints.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore complaints / Refuse listening
26. Play dumb Meaning: Pretending you don’t understand or didn’t hear someone.
Meaning: Pretending you don’t understand or didn’t hear someone.
For Example: When asked who ate the last cookie, he tried to play dumb. / She knew the answer but decided to play dumb during the quiz.
Other Ways to Say: Act ignorant / Pretend not to know
27. Give someone the brush-off treatment Meaning: Giving someone a rude and dismissive dismissal.
Meaning: Giving someone a rude and dismissive dismissal.
For Example: He tried to start a conversation, but received the brush-off treatment. / Stop giving your friends the brush-off treatment.
Other Ways to Say: Dismiss / Ignore rudely
28. Walk away from someone Meaning: Leaving someone speaking to avoid listening to them.
Meaning: Leaving someone speaking to avoid listening to them.
For Example: Instead of arguing, it is better to walk away from someone who is angry. / He got bored and decided to walk away from someone talking.
Other Ways to Say: Leave / Depart
29. Tune someone out completely Meaning: Total mental disconnection from what someone is saying.
Meaning: Total mental disconnection from what someone is saying.
For Example: The long speech made the students tune someone out completely. / Don’t tune someone out completely when they give instructions.
Other Ways to Say: Stop listening / Disconnect
30. Give someone a cold shoulder treatment Meaning: Sustained unfriendly ignoring of a person over time.
Meaning: Sustained unfriendly ignoring of a person over time.
For Example: She gave her classmate the cold shoulder treatment all week. / Avoid giving people the cold shoulder treatment.
Other Ways to Say: Freeze out / Ignore consistently
31. Turn a blind eye to mistakes Meaning: Purposely ignoring minor errors made by others.
Meaning: Purposely ignoring minor errors made by others.
For Example: The kind teacher would turn a blind eye to minor spelling mistakes. / It helps to turn a blind eye to small slip-ups sometimes.
Other Ways to Say: Overlook errors / Ignore mistakes
32. Keep someone at arm length Meaning: Maintaining distance and ignoring emotional closeness.
Meaning: Maintaining distance and ignoring emotional closeness.
For Example: He was shy and liked to keep new acquaintances at arm length. / She kept everyone at arm length after moving to a new school.
Other Ways to Say: Keep distant / Remain aloof
33. Give someone a deadpan look Meaning: Staring blankly without emotion to ignore a comment.
Meaning: Staring blankly without emotion to ignore a comment.
For Example: When he told the bad pun, she gave him a deadpan look. / The guard stood at the gate with a deadpan look.
Other Ways to Say: Blank expression / Expressionless stare
34. Give someone the deaf ear Meaning: Refusing to pay attention to requests or warnings.
Meaning: Refusing to pay attention to requests or warnings.
For Example: The puppy gave the deaf ear to my command to sit. / Don’t give the deaf ear to safety instructions.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore warnings / Refuse obedience
35. Shut out someone Meaning: Blocking someone out of your conversation or group.
Meaning: Blocking someone out of your conversation or group.
For Example: It hurts when classmates try to shut out someone from games. / We should never shut out someone who wants to play.
Other Ways to Say: Exclude / Block out
36. Give someone the ice treatment Meaning: Acting exceptionally cold and ignoring a person.
Meaning: Acting exceptionally cold and ignoring a person.
For Example: After the disagreement, she gave her brother the ice treatment. / Giving the ice treatment doesn’t fix anything.
Other Ways to Say: Freeze out / Ignore coldly
37. Pass over someone Meaning: Ignoring someone’s turn or contribution on purpose.
Meaning: Ignoring someone’s turn or contribution on purpose.
For Example: The teacher accidentally decided to pass over his raised hand. / Don’t pass over teammates during group selections.
Other Ways to Say: Skip / Ignore
38. Look past someone Meaning: Staring directly behind someone to pretend they aren’t there.
Meaning: Staring directly behind someone to pretend they aren’t there.
For Example: He looked past me as if I were a ghost in the hallway. / She stood talking while looking past me.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore gaze / Look beyond
39. Blank someone Meaning: Modern slang for completely ignoring someone’s existence.
Meaning: Modern slang for completely ignoring someone’s existence.
For Example: He tried to say hi, but she decided to blank him. / Don’t blank your friends when they say hello.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore / Snub
40. Shut your ears Meaning: Refusing to hear what someone is trying to explain.
Meaning: Refusing to hear what someone is trying to explain.
For Example: He covered his head and decided to shut his ears to the lecture. / Don’t shut your ears when good advice is given.
Other Ways to Say: Stop listening / Ignore
41. Give someone zero attention Meaning: Completely disregarding someone’s presence or words.
Meaning: Completely disregarded someone’s presence or words.
For Example: The noisy bird received zero attention from the sleeping cat. / We decided to give the annoying noise zero attention.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore completely / Disregard
42. Look away Meaning: Turning your head so you do not see someone.
Meaning: Turning your head so you do not see someone.
For Example: When the scary scene started on TV, I had to look away. / She saw me waving, but she chose to look away.
Other Ways to Say: Avert eyes / Turn head
43. Give someone a deaf ear treatment Meaning: Persistent refusal to listen to someone’s words.
Meaning: Persistent refusal to listen to someone’s words.
For Example: He gave everyone the deaf ear treatment when asked to clean. / Stop giving the deaf ear treatment and help out.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore persistently / Refuse listening
44. Give someone the frozen stare Meaning: Staring coldly and ignoring someone’s attempt to talk.
Meaning: Staring coldly and ignoring someone’s attempt to talk.
For Example: She gave him the frozen stare when he interrupted her story. / He walked away after receiving the frozen stare.
Other Ways to Say: Cold look / Unfriendly stare
45. Give someone a blind eye treatment Meaning: Pretending someone’s actions do not exist.
Meaning: Pretending someone’s actions do not exist.
For Example: The supervisor gave the minor mistake a blind eye treatment. / We gave the silly argument a blind eye treatment.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore / Overlook
46. Turn a cold shoulder Meaning: A variation of acting unfriendly and ignoring someone.
Meaning: A variation of acting unfriendly and ignoring someone.
For Example: When he asked to join the game, they turned a cold shoulder. / Never turn a cold shoulder to new students.
Other Ways to Say: Snub / Freeze out
47. Ignore completely Meaning: Paying absolute zero attention to a person or thing.
Meaning: Paying absolute zero attention to a person or thing.
For Example: The cat decided to ignore completely the barking puppy outside. / You should ignore completely any mean comments.
Other Ways to Say: Disregard / Shut out
48. Play dead Meaning: Pretending not to be awake or aware to avoid interaction.
Meaning: Pretending not to be awake or aware to avoid interaction.
For Example: The puppy liked to play dead when it was time for a bath. / He tried to play dead on the rug during chores.
Other Ways to Say: Act unaware / Lie still
49. Give someone a wide berth approach Meaning: Staying far away from someone to avoid them.
Meaning: Staying far away from someone to avoid them.
For Example: We used a wide berth approach when walking past the beehive. / He gave his grumpy sibling a wide berth approach today.
Other Ways to Say: Avoid / Keep away
50. Give someone the silent treatment routine Meaning: A stubborn habit of refusing to speak to someone.
Meaning: A stubborn habit of refusing to speak to someone.
For Example: She fell back into the silent treatment routine after the dispute. / Avoid the silent treatment routine with friends.
Other Ways to Say: Refuse speech / Stop talking
51. Blank stare expression Meaning: Looking at someone with an empty, uncaring face.
Meaning: Looking at someone with an empty, uncaring face.
For Example: His blank stare expression showed he was ignoring the question. / She met my request with a blank stare expression.
Other Ways to Say: Uncaring look / Blank face
52. Give someone zero notice Meaning: Treating someone as if they do not exist at all.
Meaning: Treating someone as if they do not exist at all.
For Example: The celebrity gave zero notice to the cheering fans. / He walked past his desk giving zero notice to the papers.
Other Ways to Say: Disregard / Ignore
53. Turn your face away Meaning: Physically turning away so you do not see someone.
Meaning: Physically turning away so you do not see someone.
For Example: She decided to turn her face away when the rival walked in. / He turned his face away from the bright sunlight.
Other Ways to Say: Avert face / Look away
54. Give someone the cold treatment Meaning: Treating someone with icy unfriendliness and ignoring them.
Meaning: Treating someone with icy unfriendliness and ignoring them.
For Example: After the fight, she gave her brother the cold treatment. / Giving people the cold treatment doesn’t solve problems.
Other Ways to Say: Freeze out / Ignore
55. Give someone a blank look Meaning: Showing no expression or recognition when spoken to.
Meaning: Showing no expression or recognition when spoken to.
For Example: He gave me a blank look when I asked for the pencil. / She responded with a blank look to the riddle.
Other Ways to Say: Blank stare / Unresponsive face
56. Pay no mind Meaning: To completely disregard or ignore something someone says.
Meaning: To completely disregard or ignore something someone says.
For Example: Pay no mind to the silly rumors floating around school. / She told herself to pay no mind to the noise outside.
Other Ways to Say: Disregard / Ignore
57. Let it pass Meaning: Ignoring a minor insult or remark without reacting.
Meaning: Ignoring a minor insult or remark without reacting.
For Example: It was a silly joke, so he decided to let it pass. / Sometimes letting it pass is better than starting an argument.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore / Overlook
58. Take no notice Meaning: To observe something happening and intentionally ignore it.
Meaning: To observe something happening and intentionally ignore it.
For Example: The teacher told us to take no notice of the construction noise outside. / He walked past the spilled juice and took no notice.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore / Disregard
59. Dismiss with a wave Meaning: Ignoring someone by waving your hand to brush them away.
Meaning: Ignoring someone by waving your hand to brush them away.
For Example: He tried to explain, but she dismissed him with a wave. / The manager dismissed the question with a wave.
Other Ways to Say: Brush off / Wave away
60. Give someone the blind eye Meaning: Deliberately ignoring a person’s behavior or presence.
Meaning: Deliberately ignoring a person’s behavior or presence.
For Example: The guard decided to give the noisy kids the blind eye. / You shouldn’t give rules the blind eye.
Other Ways to Say: Ignore / Overlook
Exercise to Practice
- After the argument, she decided to give her friend the cold ________.
- The teacher chose to turn a blind ________ to the tiny whisper in class.
- My warning about the wet floor seemed to fall on deaf ________.
- He tried to ask for a cookie, but mom turned a deaf ________.
- Walking past his old rival, he decided to cut him ________.
- He walked right past me and looked right ________ me without a word.
- After losing the game, he gave his teammates the silent ________.
- You cannot just brush your broken promise under the ________.
- When it was time for chores, my little brother tried to play ________ on the sofa.
- Do not stick your head in the ________ when your homework is due.
- The store clerk gave us the ________ instead of answering our question.
- The puppy was barking loudly, so we decided to give it a wide ________.
- A true friend will never turn their ________ on you during hard times.
- The lecture was so long that I started to tune ________.
- When asked who ate the last cookie, he tried to play ________.
Answer Key
- shoulder
- eye
- ears
- ear
- dead
- through
- treatment
- carpet
- opossum
- sand
- runaround
- berth
- back
- out
- dumb
Conclusion
Learning idioms about ignoring someone helps you understand stories, character behaviors, and everyday social expressions much better. When you know what these colorful phrases mean, you can use them to describe different ways people react to one another in conversations.
Try using a few of these expressions the next time you talk about paying attention or tuning out distractions. Practicing them out loud is a great way to remember them and make your communication sound awesome.
