ignorance is bliss
2 synonyms for ignorance is bliss, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Phrase — Said to mean that not knowing about something unpleasant makes a person happier than knowing would.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
what you don't know can't hurt you
better not to know
How to use ignorance is bliss
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
sometimes ignorance is bliss
a case of ignorance is bliss
A common conversational proverb; fine in speech and casual writing.
Etymology
Comes from a line in Thomas Gray's poem Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College (1742): "Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."
Full origin of ignorance is bliss →Frequently asked questions
Where does the phrase ignorance is bliss come from?
It comes from Thomas Gray's poem 'Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College', which ends with the line that where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise. The full quotation is more sceptical than the modern saying, which usually drops the second half.
Is ignorance is bliss meant as advice?
Rarely. It is normally used wryly or self-mockingly about something the speaker has chosen not to look into. Used about someone else it can be a criticism, implying they are happy only because they refuse to face the facts.
