tune out

verb

tuned out; tuning out; tunes out

transitive verb

: to become unresponsive to : ignore

intransitive verb

: to dissociate oneself from what is happening or one's surroundings

Examples of tune out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The souring headlines are impossible to miss, even for those who have treated his second term as something to tune out, avoid, or deny. Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Apr. 2025 Examples of the market tuning out the White House came on Friday, as several contradictory pieces of tariff news came and went, causing at most a short-term ripple for stocks. Jesse Pound, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025 This sets off a vicious cycle: the more general and accusatory the language, the more likely the listener is to tune out, leaving the speaker feeling unheard and escalating future conflicts. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025 There, Black poets of all stripes could tune out the world and instead fine-tune their craft. Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tune out

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of tune out was in 1908

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tune out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tune%20out. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

tune out

verb
: to stop paying attention to what is happening or to one's surroundings
thinking about the work and tuning everything else out

More from Merriam-Webster on tune out

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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