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Willful Ignorance

What Does "Willful Ignorance" Mean?

homeidiomsWillful Ignorance
"Willful ignorance" is an English idiom. It means "the deliberate choice to ignore or remain uninformed about something, often to avoid facing difficult truths."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "willful ignorance" used in a sentence:
  • His willful ignorance of the climate crisis meant he never took action to reduce his carbon footprint.
  • She displayed willful ignorance by ignoring the warning signs of financial trouble.
  • Some politicians engage in willful ignorance when it comes to scientific facts.
meaning for willful ignorance

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Willful Ignorance" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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