fall on deaf ears

🌎Region: International 📊Difficulty Level:intermediate

💡Meaning

To be ignored or not listened to, even though it is said clearly or repeatedly.

🕰️Origin

A metaphor from speaking to someone who is literally deaf: the words cannot be heard, so pleas or advice have no effect. It has long appeared in English writing, especially about ignored appeals.

📝Notes

Negative tone: implies the listener is unwilling to listen or doesn’t care. Often used for advice, warnings, requests, or complaints being ignored; common in news and formal contexts too.

💬Examples

My warnings about the deadline fell on deaf ears, and the team missed it.
She tried to apologize, but her words fell on deaf ears after what happened.
The senator’s calls for reform fell on deaf ears in the committee.
Advice to cut back on spending fell on deaf ears while they kept shopping every weekend.
His requests for help fell on deaf ears, so he had to handle the problem alone.

📘Grammar & Usage Notes

Usually used as a verb phrase: “(something) falls/fell/will fall on deaf ears.” Subject is the message (advice, warnings, pleas). Can be “to fall on deaf ears.” Article is fixed: “deaf ears.”

🔗Synonyms

go unheeded
be ignored
be brushed off
be dismissed
be met with indifference

↔️Antonyms

be heard
be listened to
be taken to heart
sink in
get through