ignorant

Pluralignorants

1. 1
   lacking learningadjective

   Having little knowledge or education; marked by a lack of learning.

   Without schools, much of the rural population remained ignorant and unable to read.

   The pamphlet was written for an ignorant public that knew little of science or history.

   UsageNot the adjective of ignore (pay no attention): an ignorant person has not learned something, not chosen to overlook it.

   Similaruneducated, unschooled, unlearned

   Oppositeeducated, learned, knowledgeable

   Note

   Lack of knowledge or education is the point here, and the word need not sneer: Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield (1766) ranks the ignorant peasant without fault above the philosopher with many.

2. 2
   unawareadjective

   Without knowledge of a particular fact or facts; not aware of something.

   Many shoppers are ignorant of how much sugar their breakfast cereal contains.

   The tenants remained blissfully ignorant that the building had been sold.

   UsageUsually ignorant of the facts or ignorant that something happened. Blissfully ignorant means happy because you do not know.

   Similarunaware, oblivious, uninformed, unknowing

   Oppositeaware, informed, conscious

   Note

   Nothing is implied about schooling, so a learned person can be ignorant of one fact, which is what separates it from the "uneducated" meaning.

3. 3
   adjective

   Coming from a lack of knowledge, and therefore foolish or silly.

   The settlers' ignorant attempts to farm the desert ended in ruined crops within two years.

   It was an ignorant notion that the river could never flood, and the town paid for it.

   UsageDescribes remarks, ideas and actions rather than people: an ignorant remark, an ignorant mistake.

   Similarmisguided, foolish, ill-informed, silly, stupid

   Oppositewise, sensible, informed

   Note

   Shakespeare stretches it to ships in Cymbeline, "poor ignorant baubles" that crack like eggshells on the rocks. Said of a thing, it lays the folly at the door of someone's not knowing.

4. 4
   adjectiveslang

   Rude or coarse in behavior; showing no regard for good manners.

   She found the new manager loud, pushy and downright ignorant toward the staff.

   Blasting music on the bus at midnight is just plain ignorant.

   UsageListeners may hear uneducated instead, so let the context show it is about manners: ignorant toward the staff.

   Similarrude, impolite, ill-mannered, boorish, uncouth

   Oppositepolite, courteous, respectful

   Note

   The charge here is rudeness, not lack of learning: someone who pushes past you without a word is being ignorant.

5. 5
   nouncountable

   A person without knowledge or education; usually the ignorant, meaning such people as a group.

   Quack doctors found ready customers among the ignorant and the desperate.

   Pamphlets of the time spoke down to the ignorant, as if they could never learn.

   UsageUsually the ignorant, meaning ignorant people in general, with a plural verb: the ignorant are.

   Similarignoramus

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