close one's ears
Block out sound
To close one's ears is to refuse to listen or pay attention, deliberately ignoring information or appeals: She closed her ears to his excuses.
The phrase suggests willful resistance rather than inability to hear—blocking out what one doesn't want to acknowledge.
The committee closed its ears to public criticism.
- turn a deaf earIntentionally refuse to listen
- stonewallRefuse to cooperate
- ignoreRefuse to notice
- deafenImpair hearing temporarily
- la la laPlaceholder sung syllables
dismiss · block · cover · suppress · plug · hear no evil · resist · deny · tune out · selective hearing · neglect · filter · evade · reject · overlook · look the other way · mute · deflect
close one's earslisten
Perceive sound attentively
lend an ear · hear out · be all ears · pay heed · heed
close one's earspay attention
Concentrate on something
listen closely · hang on every word · prick up one's ears · tune in · concentrate
close, closed, closer, closest, closely, closeness, closing, closure, enclose