- present participle of blind.
blinding
Americannoun
noun
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sand or grit spread over a road surface to fill up cracks
-
the process of laying blinding
-
Also called: mattress. a layer of concrete made with little cement spread over soft ground to seal it so that reinforcement can be laid on it
adjective
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making one blind or as if blind
blinding snow
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most noticeable; brilliant or dazzling
a blinding display of skill
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of blinding
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at blind, -ing 1
Explanation
If something is blinding, it's so bright that it makes you lose your vision temporarily. The blinding light of a camera flash can be very annoying. The bright or dazzling light of fireworks, a flashlight, or even light glinting off of a mirror or a diamond necklace can all be blinding, rendering you briefly unable to see. Anything you can't see through can be described this way, like blinding rain or the blinding white of a blizzard, and even pain is sometimes blinding. The word shares an Old English root with blind, blendan, "to deprive of sight."
Vocabulary lists containing blinding
Words for Cheese Writers
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"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Did the fun of the film festival circuit eventually become a blinding limelight, through which Adrian couldn’t see past as he got older?
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
When Calum MacDonald visited a bar in Laos he experienced "a blinding kaleidoscopic light" permanently impairing his vision, less than two days after having a drink.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
He fixates on bright, blinding objects while turning away from self-reflection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
This exciting nutrition system may include fun things like nearly blinding your boss with direct sunlight at an open-air business lunch, or shoveling food in your face from 5:10 to 5:11 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026
I wished I had some sunglasses, because I was suddenly surrounded by blinding light.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
