closes one's ears
Blocks out sound
To close one's ears is to refuse to listen to or acknowledge something, typically information or advice one finds unwelcome or inconvenient.
The phrase suggests a deliberate choice to ignore rather than physical inability to hear.
She closed her ears to warnings about the investment scheme.
He closes his ears whenever anyone criticizes his work.
The expression often implies stubbornness or willful denial in the face of reasonable input.
- burying one's head in the sandIgnoring obvious problems deliberately
- head in sandDeliberate obliviousness to reality
- tuning outDeliberately not hearing
- la la laPlaceholder sung syllables
- selective hearingUnconsciously filtering unwanted input
turning a deaf ear · shutting out · blocking out · willful ignorance · looking the other way · denial · stubbornness · avoidance · rejection · ignoring · distraction · inattention · resistance · apathy · obstinacy
closes one's earslistens
Perceives sound attentively
lends an ear · pays attention · hearkens · attends to · tunes in
closes one's earsheeds
Pays attention to
takes heed · pays heed · takes to heart · takes in · absorbs
close, closes, closed, closing, closer, closest, closure, closeness, enclose