blind date

American  

noun

1. a social appointment or date arranged, usually by a third person, between two people who have not met.

2. either of the participants in such an arrangement.

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blind date British  

noun

1. a social meeting between two people who have not met before

2. either of the persons involved

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Etymology

Origin of blind date

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

They are awaiting the arrival of Max, whom they have set up on a blind date with Andrew’s co-worker Becky.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

The night that Mik and John first met, in a German nightclub in September 1978, John was actually on a blind date with someone else.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

When they first met on a blind date at an Eric Church concert in 2014, Annie worked at Oklahoma in the development office.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2025

Dad had been drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War and met my mom on a blind date after he returned home.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 18, 2025

The last betrayal that sent Velutha across the river, swimming against the current, in the dark and rain, well in time for his blind date with history.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy