Bury your head in the sand
Meaning
To deliberately avoid confronting an obvious problem or danger by pretending it does not exist.
Origin
The common phrase springs from a widespread, yet inaccurate, belief about ostriches. Ancient Roman naturalists, such as Pliny the Elder, were among the first to record observations of ostriches, sometimes seeing them lower their heads into the sand, perhaps while digging nests or looking for food, or simply resting their long necks. These actions were misinterpreted as a foolish attempt to avoid danger by merely obscuring their own vision. This vivid image of an ostrich deluding itself by simply not seeing a threat became a potent metaphor in the English language by the 19th century, solidifying into the phrase we use today to describe someone wilfully ignoring obvious problems rather than confronting them.
Examples
- Instead of facing her financial issues, she decided to bury her head in the sand, hoping they would magically resolve themselves.
- The government was criticized for burying its head in the sand regarding the growing climate crisis, failing to implement necessary policies.