head-in-the-sand
Deliberately ignoring reality
Head-in-the-sand describes willful ignorance or refusal to acknowledge obvious problems.
The image comes from the myth that ostriches bury their heads in sand when threatened, as if not seeing danger makes it disappear.
Usually appears before a noun: a head-in-the-sand approach to climate change, head-in-the-sand denial.
The related phrase is bury one's head in the sand.
Largest living bird
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- willful ignorancePurposely remaining uninformed
- buryingCovering with earth
- pretendingSimulating what isn't real
blind eye · dismissal · evasion · disregard · hiding · oblivious · unaware · unseeing
Loss of muscle function
- passivityState of non-resistance
- complacencyUncritical satisfaction with oneself
- inertiaResistance to altered motion
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
procrastination · dithering · foot-dragging · hesitation · stagnation · indecision · do-nothing · fence-sitting
Exposure to harm
- recklessnessCareless disregard for danger
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
- exposureState of being unprotected
- perilSerious threat of harm
hazard · negligence · carelessness · obliviousness · blindsided · unprepared · unprotected · foolhardiness
ostrich
Largest living bird
- avoidanceDeliberate keeping away
- willful ignorancePurposely remaining uninformed
- buryingCovering with earth
pretending · blind eye · dismissal · evasion · disregard · hiding · oblivious · unaware · unseeing · wishful thinking
paralysis
Loss of muscle function
- passivityState of non-resistance
- complacencyUncritical satisfaction with oneself
- inertiaResistance to altered motion
stalling · procrastination · dithering · foot-dragging · hesitation · stagnation · indecision · do-nothing · fence-sitting · idleness
danger
Exposure to harm
- recklessnessCareless disregard for danger
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
- exposureState of being unprotected
peril · hazard · negligence · carelessness · obliviousness · blindsided · unprepared · unprotected · foolhardiness · imprudence
head-in-the-sandclear-eyed
Perceiving without distortion
clear-sighted · facing facts · realistic · pragmatic · hard-nosed
head-in-the-sandproactive
Acting before problems arise
hands-on · action-oriented · engaged · taking the bull by the horns · grasping the nettle
head-in-the-sandconfrontational
Inclined toward hostile encounters
head-on · unflinching · combative · direct · forthright
head, heads, headed, heading, headless, header, headfirst, headlong, overhead