myopic

adjective

my·​o·​pic mī-ˈō-pik  -ˈä-pik 

1

: affected by myopia : of, relating to, or exhibiting myopia : nearsighted

It is likely the FDA will initially approve the procedure for severely myopic patients, though it is unclear what range of impaired vision will be included.

—Rhonda Rundle

In some eyes, the lens does not become flat enough to bring far objects in focus, although it focuses near objects well; people with such eyes are said to be myopic (nearsighted).

—Rita L. Atkinson et al.

2

: lacking in foresight or discernment : narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications

Higher learning can offer individuals and societies a depth and breadth of vision absent from the inevitably myopic present.

—Drew Gilpin Faust

But only a myopic angler would fail to recognize the alarming signals in those unusual conditions.

—Pete Bodo

Like most who mutilate Chopin, he was musically myopic, fawning over each note instead of seeking the longer shape of a phrase, its arc and context, where the real beauty lay.

—Andrew Corsello

When he ran again in 2013, this time without a primary opponent, his campaign had an almost myopic focus on a subject dear to Republicans: job creation.

—Andy Kroll

myopically

mī-ˈō-pi-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈä-

adverb

After the Revolution the newly independent American states, governed by large elected legislatures, formed a loose confederation in which each state myopically pursued its own highly localized interests.

—Russell Baker

Did you know?

Myopia is a condition in which visual images come to a focus in front of the retina of the eye, resulting in defective vision of distant objects. Those with myopia can be referred to as myopic (or, less formally, nearsighted). Myopic can also describe someone who has trouble seeing things from a different perspective or considering the future consequences before acting. Myopic and myopia come from Greek myōps, which is based on myein (meaning "to close") and ōps ("eye").

Synonyms

• nearsighted
• shortsighted

Examples of myopic in a Sentence

he became so myopic that he finally broke down and got contact lenses

the myopic city designers who did not plan for growth

Recent Examples on the Web

Such nuance can escape state highway engineers trained with a myopic focus on vehicle speed. —David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024

Washington, to his eternal credit, told his myopic fanboys to go pound sand. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 31 Oct. 2024

This myopic viewpoint devalues the labor of the onboarding professionals. —Rachel Lyubovitzky, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

The consequences of trying to keep up with every change are stark: the erosion of competitive advantages, a myopic focus on the short term, and organizational chaos. —Jianwen Liao feng Zhu, Harvard Business Review, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Medical Definition

myopic

1 of 2 adjective

my·​o·​pic -ˈō-pik  -ˈäp-ik 

: affected by myopia : of, relating to, or exhibiting myopia

myopically

-(ə-)lē 

adverb

myopic

2 of 2 noun

: myope