Google is experiencing challenges in providing definitions for terms like “disregard,” “stop,” and “ignore.” The traditional definition snippets have been replaced by AI Overviews, following the rollout of an updated search experience at the I/O 2026 event.
Users searching these specific words are now met with AI Overviews instead of expected definitions, resulting in a considerable amount of blank space. Complaints have surfaced on social media, prompting coverage from media outlets. In some cases, articles documenting the issue appear before the standard search results.
While in Incognito Mode, Google provided a definition snippet on the first attempt but reverted to an AI Overview on the subsequent try. Even when definitions fail to display correctly, links to online dictionaries are still visible, requiring users to scroll past the AI Overview.
Engadget reached out to Google for clarification, and a spokesperson confirmed awareness of the issue, stating, “We’re aware that AI Overviews are misinterpreting some action-related queries, and we’re working on a fix, which will roll out soon.”
This situation is not as severe as past missteps, such as recommending glue on pizza during the initial AI Overview launches. The current problem underscores Google’s ongoing transition from a traditional search engine to an all-in-one AI assistant. An update on the situation was provided on May 22, 2026, at 5:45 PM ET, including the spokesperson’s statement.
