phrase
ignorance is bliss
IG-nuh-ruhnss iz BLISS
Ignorance is bliss (phrase) means Said to mean that not knowing about something unpleasant makes a person happier than knowing would. Example: “I never read the reviews before a flight — ignorance is bliss.”
phrase
1
informal Said to mean that not knowing about something unpleasant makes a person happier than knowing would.
"I never read the reviews before a flight — ignorance is bliss."
"He never asked what the repairs cost. Ignorance is bliss, apparently."
How to use ignorance is bliss
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishYou are happier when you do not know the bad news.
When to use it
A common conversational proverb; fine in speech and casual writing.
Memory tip
The phrase is fixed. Do not change it to 'the ignorance is a bliss' — it takes no articles.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
what you don't know can't hurt you
turn a blind eye
Common pairings
sometimes ignorance is bliss
a case of ignorance is bliss
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I never read the reviews before a flight — _____.
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."
Synonyms
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what you don't know can't hurt you
better not to know
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.
What is the meaning of ignorance is bliss?
"ignorance is bliss" (phrase) means said to mean that not knowing about something unpleasant makes a person happier than knowing would.
What is another word for ignorance is bliss?
Other words for "ignorance is bliss" include what you don't know can't hurt you, better not to know.
