closing one's ears
Blocking out sound
Closing one's ears means refusing to listen or consider something.
The phrase is almost always figurative—not physically blocking sound but deliberately ignoring information, advice, or appeals: He closed his ears to their warnings.
It suggests willful dismissal rather than simple inattention.
- tuning outDeliberately not hearing
- not listeningFailing to attend
- selective hearingUnconsciously filtering unwanted input
- denialRefusal to accept reality
- head in the sandDeliberate avoidance of reality
turning a deaf ear · avoidance · rejection · dismissal · la la la · earmuffs · stonewalling · indifference · blocking · blocking out · shutting out · muting · willful ignorance · hear no evil · apathy · filtering · silencing · distraction
closing one's earslistening
Attending to sound
paying attention · lending an ear · pricking up one's ears · heeding · tuning in
closing one's earsheeding
Attending to advice
taking heed · considering · absorbing · taking to heart · taking in
close, closing, closes, closed, closer, closest, closure, closures, enclose