blind
gb/blˈaɪnd/ us/blˈaɪnd/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
state
1
Unable to see
Not able to see with your eyes.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is blind
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'blind' with 'deaf', which refers to hearing, not sight.
Synonyms
sightless (A more formal or literary synonym for lacking sight.)
Antonyms
sighted (Describes someone who has normal vision.)
Collocations
born blind
|completely blind
|go blind
|partially blind
Themes
health
|disability
|human_body
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She has been blind since birth.
- The accident left him blind in one eye.
- Blind people often use guide dogs.
- He went blind after a serious illness.
Learner examples
- My grandfather is blind.
- The man is blind in his left eye.
- She is blind and uses a white cane.
- He went blind when he was 50.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Window covering
A cover for a window that stops light from coming in.
Usage pattern:
pull down [a/the] blind
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'blind' (window covering) with 'curtain'; they are similar but not identical.
Synonyms
shade (Often used interchangeably in American English, though 'shade' usually refers to a single piece of fabric.)
Antonyms
curtain (A different type of window covering made from hanging fabric panels.)
Collocations
roller blind
|venetian blind
|close the blinds
|draw the blinds
Themes
home
|furniture
|housing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We closed the blinds to keep the room cool.
- She adjusted the blinds to let in more light.
- The blinds were dusty after months of not being used.
Learner examples
- I closed the blinds.
- The blinds are white.
- We opened the blinds to see outside.
adjective
B1
state
3
Unaware of something obvious
Not able to see or understand something that is easy for others to see or understand.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is blind to [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may take this meaning literally rather than understanding it as metaphorical awareness.
Synonyms
oblivious (Implies being unaware, often without realizing it.)
Antonyms
aware (Means knowing or noticing something.)
Collocations
blind to the truth
|blind to danger
|blind to reality
Themes
emotions
|thinking
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was blind to his faults.
- He remained blind to the risks involved.
- They are blind to the suffering around them.
Learner examples
- He is blind to the danger.
- She is blind to her mistakes.
- They are blind to the truth.
Verb
B1
action
4
Cause loss of sight
To make someone not able to see.
Usage pattern:
to blind [someone]
Synonyms
dazzle (Can mean temporarily blinding with bright light.)
Antonyms
restore sight (To give back someone's ability to see.)
Collocations
blind someone with light
|permanently blind
Themes
violence
|health
|body
Examples
- The explosion blinded him in one eye.
- The bright spotlight momentarily blinded her.
- He was blinded by a chemical accident.
Learner examples
- The light blinded me for a moment.
- The accident blinded him in one eye.
- The sun blinded her when she looked up.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
5
Concealment shelter for hunting/military use
A small shelter where people hide when hunting animals or watching birds.
Synonyms
hide (British English term for a similar shelter used for observing wildlife.)
Collocations
duck blind
|hunting blind
Themes
hunting
|military
|animals
|nature
|law
Examples
- The hunters waited quietly in the duck blind.
- We set up a blind near the water's edge.
- The soldiers built a blind for observation.
Learner examples
- The hunters sat in a blind.
- We used a blind to watch the birds.
- The man waited in the hunting blind.
Grammar
Dictionary form
blind
IPA
GB/blˈaɪnd/
US/blˈaɪnd/
Syllables & stress
blind (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (blind)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: blind
- Comparative: blinder
- Superlative: blindest
Noun
- Base: blind
- Plural: blind, blinds
Verb
- Base: blind
- 3rd Person Singular: blinds
- Present Participle: blinding
- Past: blinded
Word family
Expressions
blind spot
1/blˈaɪnd spˈɑt/
fixed phrase
Area unseen or not understood
Something you cannot see or understand well, even if it is clear to others.
Examples
- Check your mirrors for cars in your blind spot before changing lanes.
- Math has always been a blind spot for me.
the blind leading the blind
1/ðə blˈaɪnd lˈidɪŋ ðə blˈaɪnd/
idiom
Uninformed guiding uninformed
When people who do not know much are trying to teach or lead other people who also do not know much.
Examples
- With no experience between them, it was like the blind leading the blind.
- It felt like the blind leading the blind during the project.
as blind as a bat
1/ˈæz blˈaɪnd ˈæz ə bˈæt/
idiom
informal
Having very bad eyesight
Having very bad eyesight; not able to see well.
Examples
- Without my glasses I'm as blind as a bat.
- Without my glasses I’m as blind as a bat.
- He's as blind as a bat when it comes to fashion trends.
- He’s as blind as a bat when it comes to reading small print.
- She joked that she was as blind as a bat in the dark room.
turn a blind eye (to)
1/tˈɚn ə blˈaɪnd ˈaɪ tə/
idiom
Pretend not to notice wrongdoing
To choose to ignore something bad or wrong.
Examples
- The police sometimes turn a blind eye to minor offenses.
- The manager turned a blind eye to the safety violations.
- Management turned a blind eye to safety violations.
- He turned a blind eye when his friend cheated.