Meanings
nounwilful ignorance (uncountable)
alternative US willful ignorance
- idiomaticuncountablelawA decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt.
Synonyms: vincible ignorance, wilful blindness
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt.
Also see
Translations
Finnish tarkoituksellinen tietämättömyys
- tarkoituksellinen tietämättömyysa decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed
French aveuglement volontaire
- aveuglement volontairea decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed
German Ignoranz
- Ignoranza decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed
Italian ignoranza attiva
- ignoranza attivaa decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed
Polish celowe niedostrzeganie
- celowe niedostrzeganiea decision in bad faith to avoid becoming informed
Cite this entry
APA
wilful ignorance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wilful%20ignorance
MLA
“wilful ignorance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wilful%20ignorance. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wilful ignorance,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wilful%20ignorance.
Source: wilful ignorance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.