(bury/stick) your head in the sand
Meaning(s)
1. ignore a difficult or unpleasant situation in the hope that it will go away
Popularity
Medium
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
we can't just bury our heads in the sand
Analysis
When you ‘bury your head in the sand’ it means to ignore or refuse to recognize something unpleasant or something you would rather not deal with. This idiom is used in social and professional contexts to convey refusing to acknowledge something important or something that should be dealt with. You may ‘bury your head in the sand’ as a choice or due to ignorance.
Social Examples (Advance)
- It is too dangerous to bury your head in the sand when it comes to medical issues. You need to see a doctor and get that problem taken care of.
- I keep telling Paul that the bills are adding up but he would rather bury his head in the sand than deal with them.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- We can't stick our heads in the sand any longer. If we don't tackle this issue head on it will keep coming back!
- Tom had been burying his head in the sand over his precarious financial situation for months, and now his creditors are threatening to take him to court.