What is the antonym of “listen”?
The antonyms of listen are ignore, tune out, and disregard. These antonyms describe the opposite of listening, which is not paying attention to what someone is saying or not giving importance to a sound.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
Refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally.
Example
He chose to ignore her advice and ended up making a mistake.
Example
I tend to tune out when people start talking about politics.
Pay no attention to; ignore or treat as unimportant.
Example
The company decided to disregard the customer complaints and continue with their current policies.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Ignore implies a deliberate decision not to pay attention to something or someone.
- 2Tune out suggests a gradual loss of interest or attention over time.
- 3Disregard means to consider something unimportant or unworthy of attention.
Good things to know
- 1Instructing: Use ignore to tell someone not to pay attention to something.
- 2Complaining: Use tune out to express frustration when someone is not listening.
- 3Persuading: Use disregard to convince someone that something is not important.
Remember this!
The antonyms of listen are ignore, tune out, and disregard. Use ignore to instruct someone not to pay attention, tune out to complain about someone not listening, and disregard to persuade someone that something is not important.