How to Ignore Someone

Ignoring someone can be a tough task, especially when you keep running into the person you're trying to avoid, or when they constantly try to strike up a conversation with you without getting the hint. If you're truly determined to ignore someone, you just need to act busy, change your routine, and cut off all communication with them. Follow these steps if you want to learn how to ignore someone.

Avoid Eye Contact. Not making eye contact is the most effective way to ignore someone. When you look into someone’s eyes, you acknowledge their presence and break your own protective barrier. If the person is near you, never look into their eyes under any circumstances. You may make eye contact with everyone else, but not with that person. Look straight ahead or even down at the floor.

• If the person is shorter than you, look just above their head. If they are taller, don’t look up at them.
• If they are the same height and standing close, try to blur your vision to create a “dead stare” if you accidentally make eye contact.

Walk Quickly. Another method to ignore someone is to walk as fast as possible. This gives the impression that you're busy and heading somewhere, with no time to chat. Walk with your arms at your sides, head held high, as if you're focused on a goal ahead, even if you're not actually going anywhere special.

• If you spot the person from a distance heading toward you, maintain enough distance to avoid running into them.
• Avoid changing direction or trying to dodge them. If you cross the street or hide in a hallway, they might think you're interested in them. However, if you spot them from afar and are sure they don't see you, feel free to walk in the opposite direction.

Appear 'Unapproachable.' If you happen to be near that person, cross your arms, cross your legs, slump your shoulders, or do anything that makes you appear completely unapproachable. Your body language should scream 'Don't talk to me!' and hope that they get the message.

• Don’t smile. Keep your face neutral or frown as if you're not interested in talking to anyone.
• You could also adopt a 'stone face' expression—this will discourage others from speaking to you.
• If you have long hair, bangs, or are wearing a hat, try to cover your face to prevent them from trying to make eye contact with you.

Act Busy. Instead of being unapproachable, you could simply appear to be incredibly busy, as if you don't have time to chat because you're too occupied with other things.

• If you're with friends, turn toward them and make wild gestures, acting so lively that you couldn't possibly stop to talk to the person you're ignoring—let alone look at them.
• If you're alone, act like you're deeply engrossed in reading a book, magazine, or textbook. You could even mutter as if you're memorizing something.
• Hold many items. Whether you're walking or sitting, carry your phone, textbooks, or even a large plant. This will make it harder for the person to approach you for a chat.

Use Your Phone. Using your phone can help you ignore almost anyone. There are several ways you can use your phone to avoid someone. First, you can pretend to be busy on your phone every time you spot that person. Talk to someone on the phone, laugh loudly, or act like you're texting someone you'd actually like to converse with.

• Change your phone number so they can't call or text you.
• Block their number so you no longer receive messages from them.
• Set an alarm on your phone to ring every time you're near them, so you can pretend you're receiving an important call and have to talk to someone on the phone.

Listen to Music. Buy a pair of headphones and wear them whenever you're alone, even if you're not actually listening to music. When you encounter that person, blast the music at full volume and nod your head to the beat, making it seem like you're completely absorbed in your favorite tunes and have no time to chat with the person you're trying to ignore.

• If you really want to annoy them, you could close your eyes and sing along to the music, making it impossible for them to approach you.

Ignore Someone Online. Ignoring someone online is even easier than ignoring them in real life because you don’t need to avoid physical contact. To ignore someone online, avoid reading their emails, Facebook posts, Twitter updates, or any attempts they make to reach out to you.

• Block their name on any social media platform you use. Make sure they have no way to contact you online.
• If necessary, change your email address and login information. Ensure they can no longer reach you online.

Find a New Walking Route. If you want to avoid someone by changing your daily routine, one easy way is to alter your walking route to avoid running into them. If you tend to bump into them between classes, switch up your path to class to avoid encountering them. If you regularly run into them at work, take a different route or use a different restroom to limit contact.

• If you always see them while walking, try switching to a street designated for cars.
• If they seem to adjust their walking route to meet you, keep changing your path until they give up.

Avoid Places They Like to Go. This one is quite simple. If you know the bars, restaurants, and parks they frequent, just avoid those places. It’s not worth the effort unless you want to spend all your time trying to avoid them at these spots.

• You can also figure out their usual hangout times. If they only go to their favorite restaurant on weekends, and you still want to go, visit it during the week.
• If they go to a specific bar during happy hour, visit it in the evening instead.

Go to places they would never visit. If they like meat, head to vegetarian restaurants in your area. If they're not a fan of jazz music, find a venue that hosts jazz concerts. If their sworn enemy happens to be one of your friends, then a party hosted by that friend will be the perfect escape to avoid the person you're trying to ignore.

• By frequently visiting places they would never go, you not only ignore them but also discover new, better spots to hang out with friends, completely free of their presence.

Ignore Someone at School. Ignoring someone at school requires subtlety, especially if you share classes with them, but you can still find ways to avoid them without being obvious. Here are a few strategies you can try:

• If you usually sit next to them in class, change your seat. If the seating arrangement is assigned by the teacher, talk to them and ask to move.
• If you run into them in the cafeteria, see if you can sit somewhere else.
• If you accidentally bump into them in the hallway, keep your gaze fixed ahead, as if you're completely focused on getting to class and unaware of their presence.
• If they try to talk to you in class, look away and pretend nothing is happening.

Ignore Someone at Work. Ignoring someone at work can be challenging, as you may sit near them or even have to collaborate on projects together. However, there are still ways to minimize contact.

• Avoid going to the break room or kitchen when they're using it. Find out when they typically take lunch or coffee breaks and ensure your schedule is completely different from theirs.
• If you sit near them at the office, focus on your computer and place a stack of papers on your desk to give the impression you're engrossed in your work, instead of paying attention to them.
• Don't sabotage your career. If you need to speak to them to get work done, do so. They'll be more annoyed if you talk to them at the office but completely ignore them outside of work hours.

Ignore Someone in a Group. Ignoring someone in a group is quite easy if you know what to do. Simply rely on your friends and try to stay as far away from that person as possible if you're both in the same place. Here are some ways you can pull this off:

• Stay busy with friends. Chat with them and laugh like you're having the time of your life.
• Dance. If they come near you while the music is playing, grab a friend and hit the dance floor. If they still approach, close your eyes as if you're lost in the music.
• If they're in your group of friends, focus on the people around you. When they speak to you, scratch your ear or check your phone—act like nothing is happening.

• Make sure you have a good reason to ignore someone: They could be rude, a bully, a nuisance, an ex, someone who's both a friend and an enemy, or simply a person who brings chaos into your life. Ignoring them without a solid reason can lead to misunderstandings, especially if you were once close. They may not even know they've done something wrong.
• Keep your distance from anyone trying to get close. Stay busy when they're nearby to avoid any direct interaction.
• If they attempt to talk to you, pretend you're answering a phone call or engaging in another conversation.
• If they make a big deal out of things and threaten you, or engage in potentially dangerous behaviors like stalking, inform a trusted adult immediately.
• If they tempt you to reconsider and talk to them again, ride out the urge and let it pass. Typically, a ten-minute wait is enough to remind yourself why you chose to ignore them in the first place.
• Avoid eye contact as much as possible, and if they’re truly bothering you, pretend someone else needs your attention and leave the area.
• Focus on other people, make new friends, and pretend you're happy without them. This is likely to make the person you're ignoring move on.
• Make sure you have a valid reason to ignore them. (For example, if they're trying to apologize for something, you might want to give them a chance.)
• If you're likely to run into them at specific places (like the supermarket), check the parking lot for their car before you decide to go in.
• Think about talking to them directly to resolve any issues or explain why you're choosing to ignore them.
• If the person you’re upset with genuinely wants to apologize, it's better to forgive them or try to resolve the conflict before you completely lose them. Give them a chance – it could just be a misunderstanding.
• If the person you want to ignore sits next to you, and you need to grade papers in class, opt to grade papers from the person sitting in front of you.

• Ignoring someone who genuinely wants to talk to you is a deeply hurtful action that could cause significant emotional damage. Before you decide to ignore someone, be sure they truly deserve it.