shuts, shut, shutting
to shut out
phrasal verb
Ignore or refuse to consider something
- 1She tried to shut out negative thoughts.
- 2He shut out all distractions to focus on his work.
When you do not listen to someone or do not think about something, you keep it away from your mind. You act like it is not there. You do not let it enter your thoughts or feelings. You pretend it does not exist or is not important.
People often shut out bad memories or sad feelings, like when someone tries not to think about a difficult time in their life.
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at a coffee shop
Ignoring the Noise
Jeffrey
I can't focus with all this noise around us.
Mark
Just try to shut out the distractions and concentrate on your work.
Jeffrey
Easier said than done, but I'll give it a try.
Mark
You'll get the hang of it with practice.
in the grocery aisle
Selective Hearing
Charles
Sandra, did you hear about the new policy change at work?
Sandra
Oh, I decided to shut out all that noise for now.
Charles
I get it. Sometimes it's better to focus on what's important.
Sandra
Exactly, there's only so much I can handle at once.
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Similar to "to shut out":
- 1ignore
- 2dismiss
