To bury one's head in the sand
Meaning
To deliberately ignore an obvious problem or danger, often hoping it will simply disappear.
Origin
The phrase draws its vivid imagery from the enduring, yet mistaken, belief that ostriches, when threatened, literally plunge their heads into the sand, convinced that if they cannot see the danger, it ceases to exist. This charmingly absurd notion, popularized by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder in his Natural History, paints a picture of deliberate self-deception. While real ostriches are far more sensible—they lie flat or dig shallow nests for their eggs—the powerful image of a giant bird comically oblivious to an approaching threat proved irresistible. It wasn't long before this striking, albeit inaccurate, observation transcended zoology, embedding itself in our language as a potent metaphor for willful ignorance, perfectly capturing the folly of ignoring an obvious problem by simply refusing to acknowledge it.
Examples
- Environmental scientists warned about climate change for decades, but many politicians chose to bury their heads in the sand.
- Facing increasing debt, Sarah realized she couldn't continue to bury her head in the sand and decided to seek financial advice.