Fall on deaf ears

Meaning

The idiom "fall on deaf ears" means that something is ignored or paid no attention to, often because it is considered unimportant or inconsequential. It can also imply a lack of interest or a willful refusal to listen to someone's message or advice.

Usage

• "Despite my warnings about the potential risks of investing in that company, my suggestions fell on deaf ears."
• "He had been giving me bad advice for years, but I finally decided to ignore him and trust my own instincts instead."
• "The criticism of her performance was met with silence and disregard, as if it fell on deaf ears."
• "I tried to convince him to change his mind, but he was set in his ways and wouldn't budge."
• "The news of the natural disaster was reported on every channel, but for some reason, it didn't register with me until it was too late."

Roots and History

The phrase "fall on deaf ears" is thought to have originated in medieval times when a person who had been plagued by an itchy ear would be given a potion of honey and dipped their ear in it to soothe the itching. The phrase comes from the idea that the honey would fall on deaf ears, meaning that the person would ignore any other advice or medicine while they were receiving this particular treatment. Over time, the idiom has taken on a more metaphorical meaning and is now used to describe situations where someone is not listening or paying attention to something important. The phrase has remained fairly consistent in meaning since its early origins, but it has become more common and widely understood in contemporary language.

Synonyms in English

• "go unheeded"
• "fall flat on one's face"
• "be ignored"
• "go unnoticed"
• "be disregarded"

Synonyms in other languages

• French: "tomber sur des oreilles" (literally, "fall on ears")
• Spanish: "caer en los oídos"
• German: "in die Ohren fallen"
• Italian: "cader negli occhi"
• Portuguese: "caer em os ouvidos"

Similar Idioms

• cold shoulder

• face the music

• fate worse than death