deliberately overlook

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "deliberately overlook" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the intentional act of ignoring something or someone, often in a context where one is expected to acknowledge it. Example: "The manager chose to deliberately overlook the employee's repeated tardiness in order to maintain team morale."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

They sometimes deliberately overlook that our mission has always been to entertain, as well as inform and educate.

Independent

One member of the Tennessee Walking Horse world states that this creates "the potential for a "fox guarding the chicken coop" situation", as if the HIO is not fully interested in preventing or detecting the practice of soring, the DQPs may not be fully trained or may deliberately overlook instances of soring.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Deliberately overlooked?

Independent

Critics said that smaller particles were being deliberately overlooked.

The New York Times

But defense lawyers contended that prosecutors were overreaching and that they deliberately overlooked evidence that cast doubt on the woman's story.

The New York Times

The 1951 San Francisco peace treaty with Japan deliberately overlooked the matter of Dokdo's sovereignty, for fear the islands might fall into the hands of the Communist north in the Korean war.

The Economist

This not only meant that members across the country felt alienated, demoralised and ignored, but more importantly their collective understanding of people's fears and aspirations, learnt from listening to the public and knocking on doors, was being deliberately overlooked.

The Guardian - Opinion

The book claims that, as compensation for big bucks, both Bush presidents have actually given Saudi Arabia a "pass" -- that is, deliberately overlooked the kingdom's longtime support for Islamic radicalism and terror in return for personal profit.

The New York Times - Books

The biggest problem was that state laws and regulations governing workers' social insurance were deliberately overlooked because coal mining companies did not provide pension plans or medical care to their workers.

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

While this forbiddance was deliberately overlooked in the first round, providing an opportunity to cheat, it was strictly enforced in the second, conducted two months later in the same classes with the same quiz.

Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics

But what the researchers found was that "the fans were not choosing to see actions in the game or deliberately overlooking things in a way that corresponded with their feelings," Manjoo writes.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "deliberately overlook" when you want to emphasize the intentional nature of ignoring something, often implying a moral or ethical consideration. For instance, in legal or ethical discussions, this phrase can highlight a conscious choice to disregard important information or actions.

Common error

Avoid using "deliberately overlook" when you actually mean a genuine mistake or unintentional oversight. "Deliberately" implies a conscious choice, so ensure it aligns with your intended meaning. Using "accidentally overlooked" is more appropriate for unintentional situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deliberately overlook" functions as a verb phrase, where "deliberately" modifies the verb "overlook", indicating an intentional action. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "deliberately overlook" describes the intentional act of ignoring something. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness, although its usage is currently categorized as rare based on the available data. The phrase appears across diverse sources like News & Media, Science and Wiki with a neutral formality level. When using the phrase, writers should ensure that the context appropriately reflects a conscious and intentional decision to disregard something, distinguishing it from unintentional oversights. Related alternatives include phrases like "intentionally disregard" and "purposely ignore".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intentionally disregard

Emphasizes the conscious choice to not pay attention to something.

purposely ignore

Highlights the goal-oriented nature of ignoring something.

consciously disregard

Focuses on the awareness involved in the act of ignoring.

willfully disregard

Implies a stubborn or determined decision to ignore something.

deliberately ignore

A direct synonym, replacing "overlook" with "ignore".

intentionally neglect

Shifts the focus to a failure to care for or attend to something.

consciously avoid

Suggests actively steering clear of something.

turn a blind eye to

An idiomatic expression meaning to ignore something that one knows is wrong.

sweep under the rug

Idiomatic phrase meaning to hide something to avoid dealing with it.

gloss over

To treat or represent something in a way that minimizes its importance or seriousness.

FAQs

How can I use "deliberately overlook" in a sentence?

You can use "deliberately overlook" when you want to emphasize that someone is intentionally ignoring something. For example: "The company chose to deliberately overlook the safety violations to increase profits."

What's a similar phrase to "deliberately overlook"?

A similar phrase to "deliberately overlook" is "intentionally disregard". Both phrases indicate a conscious decision to ignore something.

Is it better to say "deliberately overlook" or "intentionally ignore"?

Both "deliberately overlook" and "intentionally ignore" are acceptable, but the best choice depends on context. "Overlook" may imply a less severe form of ignoring than "ignore" itself.

Can "deliberately overlook" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "deliberately overlook" is suitable for formal writing, especially when discussing ethical or legal implications. For example, "The investigation revealed that key evidence was deliberately overlooked by the authorities."