adjective

ignorant

IHG-nuh-ruhnt

adjective

Lacking knowledge or education, generally or about a particular subject.

"He was completely ignorant of the risks before he signed the contract."

"The course is designed for people ignorant of basic economics."

Rude or badly behaved.

"It was pretty ignorant of him to interrupt the speaker like that."

How to Use Ignorant

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNot knowing something — or, informally, just plain rude.

When to use it

The "rude" sense is informal/slang and common in casual speech.

Common pairings

ignorant of the facts blissfully ignorant ignorant remark

ignoranter comparative, more ignorant comparative, ignorants plural, ignorantest superlative, most ignorant superlative

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He was completely _____ of the risks before he signed the contract.

From Old French ignorant, from Latin ignorans, "not knowing."

benighted cimmerian foolish clueless ill-informed illiterate innocent lack-learning lay lewd loreless nescient

educated familiar knowledgable learned trained wise

absurd lay learned impose dark unwise intelligent friendly

deodorant

benighted cimmerian foolish clueless ill-informed illiterate innocent lack-learning lay lewd loreless nescient