blindness
C1Formal, technical, literary
Definition
Meaning
The condition of being unable to see; the lack of the sense of sight.
A lack of perception, awareness, understanding, or judgement in a non-literal sense; willful ignorance or indifference.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an uncountable noun referring to the state or condition. Can be used literally (medical) or metaphorically (psychological/social). The metaphorical use implies a refusal or inability to recognize obvious facts or truths.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. Both varieties use the term identically in literal and metaphorical contexts.
Connotations
Identical connotations. The term carries a serious, often negative weight in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties, with slightly higher usage in American English in medical/technical contexts due to larger research output.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
blindness to + [noun phrase] (e.g., blindness to the facts)blindness caused by + [noun phrase]blindness resulting from + [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Love is blind”
- “Turn a blind eye”
- “Blind leading the blind”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically to criticise a lack of market awareness or strategic foresight, e.g., 'The company's blindness to digital trends led to its decline.'
Academic
Common in medical, psychological, and social science literature. Used literally in ophthalmology and metaphorically in critical theory (e.g., 'cognitive blindness', 'ideological blindness').
Everyday
Most commonly used for the literal medical condition. Metaphorical use is also understood, e.g., 'He has a strange blindness to his own faults.'
Technical
Precise medical term for the condition of no light perception. Specific types are defined (e.g., 'legal blindness', 'hysterical blindness').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The accident could blind him.
- The bright lights blinded the driver momentarily.
American English
- The accident could blind him.
- The glare blinded me for a second.
adverb
British English
- They bought the house blind, without an inspection.
- He was flying blind, with no data.
American English
- They fired blind into the dark.
- She followed the instructions blind.
adjective
British English
- He is registered as blind.
- It was a blind bend in the road.
American English
- He is legally blind.
- She took a blind guess.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- His grandfather has blindness.
- Some animals have night blindness.
- The disease can cause permanent blindness.
- He showed a complete blindness to her feelings.
- The charity raises money to cure preventable blindness.
- The government's blindness to the housing crisis was criticised.
- The study explored the neural correlates of cortical blindness.
- His ideological blindness prevented him from acknowledging any contradictory evidence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'BLIND' + 'NESS' (a state of being). A blind fold creates a state of blindness.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWING IS SEEING / IGNORANCE IS BLINDNESS (e.g., 'She was blind to the consequences.'); LACK OF CONTROL IS BLINDNESS (e.g., 'blind luck').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'слепота' which is a direct translation and correct. The trap is overusing the literal translation for metaphorical English phrases where another word might be better, e.g., 'blindness to danger' is better translated as 'неспособность видеть опасность' or 'невидение опасности', not always 'слепота'.
Common Mistakes
- Using as a countable noun (e.g., 'He has a blindness' is non-standard; use 'He has blindness' or 'He is blind').
- Confusing 'blindness' (state) with 'blinding' (action/causing blindness).
- Misspelling as 'blindess'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a medically recognised type of blindness?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not always. While often permanent (e.g., from optic nerve damage), it can be temporary (e.g., 'snow blindness') or situational (e.g., 'night blindness').
Rarely. Its core meaning is a deficiency. However, in fixed phrases like 'love is blind', it neutrally describes overlooking faults. It is not typically a positive trait.
'Blindness' typically signifies severe or total loss of sight. 'Visual impairment' is a broader term encompassing any degree of sight loss, from partial to total. 'Blindness' is often used in legal and medical definitions with specific criteria.
It can be, depending on context. Using it flippantly (e.g., 'Are you blind?') is insensitive. In academic or literary contexts (e.g., 'moral blindness'), it is generally accepted as a standard metaphor. Sensitivity is advised.