blindness

American  

[blahynd-nis] / ˈblaɪnd nɪs /

noun

1. the inability to see; the condition of having severely impaired or absolutely no sense of sight.

   Patients are first asked if their blindness is congenital or the result of injury or disease.

2. an unwillingness or inability to perceive or understand; lack of judgment; ignorance.

   Your blindness to this behavior has allowed his anxiety to worsen.

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blindness Scientific  

/ blīnd′nĭs /

1. A lack or impairment of vision in which maximal visual acuity after correction by refractive lenses is one-tenth normal vision or less in the better eye. Blindness can be genetic but is usually acquired as a result of injury, cataracts, or diseases such as glaucoma or diabetes. In Asia and Africa, trachoma is a common infectious cause of blindness.

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Etymology

Origin of blindness

First recorded before 1000; blind ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Over time, it can lead to serious complications, including nerve damage, blindness, coma, and even death.

From Science Daily • Mar. 2, 2026

Mange is a common issue for foxes, especially during winter, with many foxes dying or being left with serious injuries such as blindness.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

The answer isn’t ideological blindness so much as methodological constraint.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

Market strategists say there is still a lot to watch for as investors come out of a period of data blindness from the government shutdown.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

In my mental blindness, I had believed it was somehow connected with the ability to read and write, and I was sure that if I could get those skills I would have intelligence too.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

Related Words

• defect
• myopia