Translation guide
To ignore, pay no attention to, or treat something as unimportant. Japanese uses different expressions depending on whether you are ignoring a rule, a person's words, a warning, or a feeling.
To deliberately not pay attention to something or someone, to ignore.
The most direct and common translation for 'disregard' in the sense of ignoring something or someone intentionally.
彼は私の忠告を無視した。
He disregarded my advice.
You must not disregard traffic lights.
Noun form, often used in compounds like 無視する (to ignore).
彼の行動は完全な無視だ。
His behavior is a complete disregard.
To let something go in one ear and out the other, to pay no heed to what someone says. Used specifically for disregarding spoken words.
彼女は彼の悪口を聞き流した。
She disregarded his insults (let them go).
To not mind, to not care about. More about emotional disregard than active ignoring.
人の目なんて気にしない。
I disregard what others think.
To consider something not worth attention, to dismiss or brush off.
To make light of, to underestimate or treat as trivial. Often used for disregarding risks, rules, or important matters.
安全規則を軽視してはいけない。
You must not disregard safety regulations.
Also used for dismissing something as unimportant, though it leans more toward active ignoring.
彼は私の意見を無視した。
He disregarded my opinion.
To set aside, to disregard as irrelevant (often in calculations or considerations). Formal and somewhat literary.
コストを度外視して品質を追求する。
Pursue quality disregarding cost.
To intentionally not follow a rule, law, or instruction.
Commonly used for ignoring rules, traffic signals, orders, etc.
彼は上司の命令を無視した。
He disregarded his boss's orders.
To not obey, to not comply. More direct about disobedience.
規則に従わない者は罰せられる。
Those who disregard the rules will be punished.
To break (a rule, promise, law). Stronger than 'disregard', implies violation.
To push aside or ignore one's own feelings or physical sensations.
Can be used for ignoring pain or emotions, though it may sound a bit blunt.
痛みを無視して走り続けた。
He kept running, disregarding the pain.
To suppress or stifle (emotions, laughter, etc.). More about internal suppression than ignoring.
彼は感情を押し殺した。
He disregarded his emotions (suppressed them).
To not let it bother you. Softer than 無視する.
多少の不便は気にしない。
I disregard minor inconveniences.
無視する means to actively ignore or pretend not to see/hear. 軽視する means to underestimate the importance of something, to treat it lightly. You can 軽視する a risk without actively ignoring it; 無視する implies a more deliberate act of turning away.
If you mean 'I don't care about what people think', 気にしない is more natural than 無視する. 無視する sounds like you are actively blocking them out, which can be too strong.
You must not disregard the law.