blind

1 of 4

adjective

ˈblīnd 

1

a(1)

: sightless

(2)

: having less than ¹/₁₀ of normal vision in the more efficient eye when refractive defects are fully corrected by lenses

b

: of or relating to sightless persons

2

a

: unable or unwilling to discern or judge

blind to a lover's faults

b

: unquestioning

blind loyalty

3

a

: having no regard to rational discrimination, guidance, or restriction

blind choice

b

: lacking a directing or controlling consciousness

blind chance

c

: drunk sense 1a

4

a

: made or done without sight of certain objects or knowledge of certain facts that could serve for guidance or cause bias

a blind taste test

compare double-blind, single-blind

b

: having no knowledge of information that may cause bias during the course of an experiment or test

physicians blind to whether the test drug is administered

5

: defective: such as

a

: lacking a growing point or producing leaves instead of flowers

b

: lacking a complete or legible address

blind mail

6

a

: difficult to discern, make out, or discover

b

: hidden from sight : covered

blind seam

7

: having but one opening or outlet

blind sockets

8

: having no opening for light or passage : blank

blind wall

blindly

ˈblīn(d)-lē 

adverb

blindness

ˈblīn(d)-nəs 

noun

blind

2 of 4

verb

blinded; blinding; blinds

transitive verb

1

a

: to make (a person or animal) permanently blind

The accident blinded him in one eye.

b

: to cause (a person or animal) to be unable to see for a short time : dazzle

Blinded by the glare of the headlights …, the apparition stood swaying for a moment before he perceived the man in the duster.

—F. Scott Fitzgerald

… the popular poaching method that uses bright lights to blind and immobilize deer …

—James Howard Kunstler

c

: to cause (someone) to be unable to think clearly or act reasonably

He was blinded by love.

… analysts and investors were too blinded by greed … to raise questions—much less look at the company's balance sheet.

—Bethany McLean

2

a

: to withhold light from

… such darkness blinds the sky, / That the black night receives a deeper dye.

—John Dryden

b

: hide, conceal

Alone, she sets out … on the ninety mile drive to Winnipegosis; but the snow has blinded the trail …

—The Overland Monthly (San Francisco, CA)

c

: to intentionally prevent (someone, such as a researcher or study participant) from seeing certain objects or knowing certain facts that could bias, influence, or interfere with the outcome or results of a research study, clinical trial, etc.

Studies that don't blind the participants, therapists, and assessors are at higher risk of bias; they are more likely to report an effect that differs from what can be expected in practice.

—Steven J. Kamper

If participants are not blinded, knowledge of group assignment may affect their behaviour in the trial and their responses to subjective outcome measures.

—Paul J. Karanicolas et al.

blind

3 of 4

noun

1

: something to hinder sight or keep out light: such as

a

: a window shutter

b

: a roller window shade

c

: venetian blind

d

: blinder

2

: a place of concealment

especially : a concealing enclosure from which one may shoot game or observe wildlife

3

a

: something put forward for the purpose of misleading : subterfuge

b

: a person who acts as a decoy or distraction

blind

4 of 4

adverb

1

: blindly: such as

a

: to the point of insensibility

blind drunk

b

: without seeing outside an airplane

fly blind

c

: without knowledge of certain facts that could serve for guidance or cause bias

tasted the wine blind

2

—used as an intensive

was robbed blind

Synonyms

Adjective

• eyeless
• sightless
• stone-blind
• visionless

Verb

• bedazzle
• daze
• dazzle

Examples of blind in a Sentence

Adjective

our old blind cat kept walking into walls and furniture

you'd have to be really blind to think that was a good idea

Verb

She was blinded as a child in a terrible fire.

I was blinded by the sun as I came around the corner.

He was blinded by love.

Noun

Some say the investigation is a blind to keep the public's attention off the governor.

Adverb

They had to fly blind through heavy smoke.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

How can so many in our government have turned a blind eye to this catastrophe? —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024

Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, Jones had most recently produced the 2014 documentary Keep on Keepin’ On, about jazz trumpeter Clark Terry and his mentorship of blind piano prodigy Justin Kauflin. —Jennifer Frederick, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

This fragmented approach hampers efficiency and also blinds us to potential issues. —Tom Wilkie, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Most people take their cue about how Europe is doing from the auto industry and so they may be blinded to this turn. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024

Noun

Movie gods, hear our prayer: may cinematic murderers never remember to shut their blinds, amen. —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 2 Nov. 2024

Special dusters are made specifically for blinds, and many fabric curtains and drapes are machine washable. —Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2024

Adverb

Docking can be called for in recipes where par- or blind-baking the crust is required. —Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 3 June 2022

Forced to leave the police force after turning blind, Johnson Chong See-tun takes on cold cases the police can't solve. —Men's Health, 29 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English blind, blend, going back to Old English blind, going back to Germanic *blinda- (whence also Old Frisian & Old Saxon blind "blind, sightless," Old High German blint, Old Icelandic blindr, Gothic blinds), adjective derivative from the dialectal Indo-European verbal base *b^hlend^h- "become murky or cloudy, see poorly" — more at blend entry 1

Verb

Middle English blinden, derivative of blind blind entry 1, replacing blenden "to blind," going back to Old English blendan — more at blende

Note: Note that Old English had a weak verb blindian that aside from one dubious case occurs only with prefixes: ablindian "to become blind," forblindian "to make blind" (attested once), ofblindian "to make blind."

Noun

derivative of blind entry 1 or blind entry 2

Adverb

derivative of blind entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adverb

1698, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing blind

• (as) blind as a bat
• blind alley
• blind carbon copy
• blind date
• blind drunk
• blind gut
• blind pig
• blind side
• blind spot
• blind tiger
• blind trust
• color-blind
• double-blind
• fly blind
• go blind
• gravel-blind
• hoodman-blind
• love is blind
• not a blind bit
• rob someone blind
• sand-blind
• single-blind
• stone-blind
• struck deaf/blind
• swear blind
• the blind
• the blind leading the blind
• turn a blind eye
• venetian blind

Kids Definition

blind

1 of 4 adjective

ˈblīnd 

1

a

: sightless

b

: having less than ⅒ normal vision in the best eye even with the aid of glasses

2

: lacking in judgment or understanding

3

: made or done without the aid of sight or knowledge that could provide guidance or cause bias

a blind taste test

4

a

: having only one opening or outlet

a blind street

b

: having no opening

a blind wall

blindly

ˈblīn-(d)lē 

adverb

blindness

ˈblīn(d)-nəs 

noun

blind

2 of 4 verb

1

: to make blind

2

: to make blind for a short time : dazzle

blinded by the lights

3

: to take judgment or understanding away from

blinded by love

blind

3 of 4 noun

1

: a device (as a window shade) to prevent sight or keep out light

2

: a hiding place for hunters or wildlife observers

blind

4 of 4 adverb

1

: without seeing outside of an airplane

fly blind

2

: without knowledge of facts that could guide or cause bias

Medical Definition

blind

1 of 2 adjective

ˈblīnd 

1

a

: lacking or deficient in sight

especially : having less than ¹/₁₀ of normal vision in the more efficient eye when refractive defects are fully corrected by lenses

b

: of or relating to sightless persons

blind care

2

a

: designed to prevent participants from having information that could cause bias

a blind taste test

a blind clinical trial

see double-blind, single-blind

b

: having no knowledge of information that may cause bias during the course of an experiment or test

researchers blind to whether the investigational drug is administered

3

: having but one opening or outlet

the cecum is a blind pouch

blindly

ˈblīn-(d)lē 

adverb

blindness

ˈblīn(d)-nəs 

noun

blind

2 of 2 transitive verb

1

: to make (a person or animal) permanently blind

2

: to intentionally prevent (someone, such as a researcher or study participant) from seeing certain objects or knowing certain facts that could bias, influence, or interfere with the outcome or results of a research study, clinical trial, etc.