ignorant
/'ignərənt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated: Describes a person who has not acquired much knowledge or is not familiar with cultural or intellectual matters.
- Lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about a particular fact or subject: Describes a state of not knowing something specific due to a lack of exposure or information.
- Resulting from or showing a lack of knowledge: Can describe an action, statement, or behavior that demonstrates this lack of awareness.
Usage
- Used to describe a person's general state of education or awareness.
- Often followed by the preposition "of" or "about" when specifying the subject of the lack of knowledge (e.g., ignorant the law, ignorant politics).
- Can carry a negative connotation, implying a willful or blameworthy lack of knowledge, but can also be neutral, simply stating a fact.
Examples
- General lack of knowledge:
- He made an ignorant comment about a culture he had never studied.
- The debate was frustrating because one side was completely ignorant of the basic facts.
- With preposition 'of' or 'about':
- I must admit I was ignorant of the new company policy.
- She is not ignorant about art history; she has a degree in it.
- Describing a state or condition:
- They lived in ignorant bliss, unaware of the troubles outside their village.
Advanced Usage
- "To be/remain ignorant of": To not know or to choose not to know about something.
- The public remained ignorant of the scandal for months.
- "Blissfully ignorant": Unaware of something, often something unpleasant, and therefore happy.
- He was blissfully ignorant of the criticism directed at him.
Variants and Related Words
- Ignorance (noun): The state or fact of being ignorant; lack of knowledge.
- His mistake was due to ignorance, not malice.
- Ignorantly (adverb): In an ignorant manner.
- He spoke ignorantly on a topic he didn't understand.
Synonyms
- Uninformed: Not having or showing much knowledge about a particular subject or situation.
- Unaware: Not having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
- Uneducated: Not having been educated to a high standard; lacking formal schooling.
- Naive: Showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment (often implying innocence rather than blameworthy ignorance).
Antonyms
- Knowledgeable: Intelligent and well informed.
- Educated: Having been educated to a high standard.
- Aware: Having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
- Informed: Having or showing knowledge of a particular subject or situation.
Idioms and Phrases
- "Ignorance is bliss": (Proverb) It is sometimes better not to know certain things, because knowing them might cause worry or unhappiness.
- She decided not to read the reviews; for her, ignorance is bliss.
- "Plead ignorance": To claim that one did not know about something, especially as an excuse.
- When asked about the error, he pleaded ignorance.
Adjective
- unaware because of a lack of relevant information or knowledge
- he was completely ignorant of the circumstances
- an unknowledgeable assistant
- his rudeness was unwitting
- uneducated in the fundamentals of a given art or branch of learning; lacking knowledge of a specific field
- she is ignorant of quantum mechanics
- he is musically illiterate
- uneducated in general; lacking knowledge or sophistication
- an ignorant man
- nescient of contemporary literature
- an unlearned group incapable of understanding complex issues
- exhibiting contempt for his unlettered companions