3 syllables: ig, nor, ing. Stress on nor.
/ˌɪˈɡnɔɹɪŋ/
Say it backIgnoring denotes the act of purposely paying no attention to something or someone, often to avoid engagement or to dismiss it. In usage, it can describe overlooking information, dismissing an issue, or refusing to respond. It carries a nuance of deliberate disregard and is common in both casual and formal contexts, frequently appearing in discussions of behavior, communication, or decision-making.
"He was ignoring the loud noise outside and finished his work anyway."
"The manager warned that continuing to ignore safety protocols would have consequences."
"She felt hurt when he kept ignoring her messages."
ignoring is pronounced /ɪɡˈnɔːrɪŋ/ in US and UK English, with two syllables in the base word and primary stress on the second syllable: ig-NOR-ing. Start with a short 'i' as in 'kit,' then a hard 'g' /ɡ/. The 'n' follows, the stress lands on 'NOR,' and the final 'ing' sounds like /ɪŋ/. For careful pronunciation, elongate the /ɔː/ vowel slightly in careful speech. Mouth: keep the tongue high for the initial /ɪ/ but then drop to a mid-back position for /ɔː/; the /r/ in rhotic accents is pronounced before the ending /ɪŋ/. Listening reference: Pronounce or Forvo can provide native audio examples.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying ig-NOR-ing without enough emphasis on NOR), and mispronouncing the /ɔː/ as /oʊ/ or /ɑː/, leading to a less natural sound. Another frequent error is softening the final /ŋ/ or blending it with an /ɪ/ sound in rapid speech. Correction tips: 1) place primary stress on NOR: ig-NOR-ing; 2) ensure the vowel in NOR is the long /ɔː/ sound; 3) end clearly with /ɪŋ/ instead of a clipped /ɪn/; 4) practice slow-to-fast rhythm to keep the two-syllable core intact.
In US/UK, the /ɪ/ at the start remains short, and /ɡ/ is a hard stop. US rhotics add an /r/ sound in NOR, while UK tends to be non-rhotic in some accents, though in 'ignoring' the /r/ may be subtle or syllabic depending on speaker. The /ɔː/ vowel tends to be a longer, rounded vowel in both, but quality can differ: US often favors a broader /ɔː/; UK may be closer to /ɒ/ in some dialects; AU tends toward a pure /ɔː/ in many regions. Final /ɪŋ/ often remains consistent, with some Australian speakers completing a lighter /ɪ/ and more nasal ending.
Difficulties stem from the two-syllable rhythm with secondary stress potential and the mid-back /ɔː/ vowel that can be mispronounced as /ɑː/ or /oʊ/. The insertion of a clear /ɡ/ gesture right after /ɪ/ can be rushed, and the final /ɪŋ/ needs to stay distinct from the preceding syllable. Additionally, in connected speech, the /ŋ/ may be nasalized or softened. Focus on keeping the NOR syllable strong, and ensure a crisp release for /k/ before the /n/. Practice with careful lip-tongue positioning and slow pace to improve fluency.
Yes. The base verb 'ignore' ends with a voiced /r/ in rhotic accents, and the /ˈnɔːr/ cluster can blur with the following /ɪŋ/ if spoken too quickly. The -ing suffix blends with the preceding consonant in rapid speech, which risks turning /nɔːrɪŋ/ into /nɔːrɪŋ/ with reduced clarity. Practically, keep a small pause or a sharper release between NOR and -ing in careful speech, and ensure the 'r' is audible in rhotic varieties to maintain clarity.
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The word ignoring comes from the verb ignore, which derives from the French ignorer, itself from the Late Latin ignorare meaning 'to be ignorant' or 'to not know.' The root ign- stems from Latin ig-narus, related to ignorance and lack of knowledge. In English, ignore first appeared in the 16th century with senses related to overlooking or refusing to acknowledge. Over time, ignore evolved to its modern sense of willful disregard or dismissal of information, people, or signals. The present participle ignoring follows the standard -ing suffix, functioning as a gerund or participle in phrases like 'ignoring the warning signs' or as part of continuous verb forms in sentences like 'they are ignoring the instructions.' The semantic shift from basic lack of knowledge to active disregard tracks cultural developments in communication where selective attention and disregard are common rhetorical tools. The term gained broader usage in psychology and everyday discourse as audiences learned to label behavior as ignoring or selective attention, particularly in contexts of interpersonal communication and management. First known uses appear in early modern English texts, with the sense gradually narrowing to deliberate, conscious disregard rather than mere inattention. A modern nuance: the phrase 'ignoring' often implies an intentional decision to deprioritize or exclude something from consideration in ongoing actions or responses.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "ignoring" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "ignoring"
-ing sounds
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