Ignorant

/ˈɪɡ.nə.ɹənt/ · adjective

Meaning

Unknowledgeable or uneducated; characterized by ignorance..

Definitions by Sense

1. Unknowledgeable or uneducated; characterized by ignorance.
2. Not knowing (a fact or facts), unaware (of something).
3. (slang) Ill-mannered, crude.
4. (obsolete) Unknown; undiscovered
5. Resulting from ignorance; foolish; silly.
6. One who is ignorant.

Example Sentences

That man that doth not know those things which are of use and necessity for him to know, is but an ignorant man, whatever he may know besides;

The ignorant peasant, without fault, is greater than the philosopher with many; for what is genius or courage without an heart?

1851, Walt Whitman, “Art and Artists” in Emory Holloway (editor), The Uncollected Poetry and Prose of Walt Whitman, Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1921, Volume 1, p. 242, […] perhaps it is sometimes the case that the greatest artists live and die, the world and themselves alike ignorant what they possess.

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

Eve. Somewhat forbids me, which I cannot name; For ignorant of guilt, I fear not shame: But some restraining thought, I know not why, Tells me, you long should beg, I long deny.

That night he slept the sleep of happiness, blissfully ignorant that he had placed the letters in the wrong envelopes.

His manner was at best off-hand, at worst totally ignorant.

1845, Robert Browning, letter addressed to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, cited in Percy Lubbock, Elizabeth Barrett Browning in Her Letters, London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1906, Chapter 4, p. 106, […] as to you, your goodness and understanding will always see to the bottom of involuntary or ignorant faults—always help me to correct them.

Synonyms for ignorant

Antonyms for ignorant

Related Words

Word Forms

• ignoranter
• more ignorant
• ignorantest
• most ignorant
• ignoraunt
• ignant
• ignorants

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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