blindside
Americanverb (used with object)
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Sports. to tackle, hit, or attack (an opponent) from the blind side.
The quarterback was blindsided and had the ball knocked out of his hand.
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to attack critically where a person is vulnerable, uninformed, etc..
The president was blindsided by the press on the latest tax bill.
Etymology
Origin of blindside
First recorded in 1970–75; verb use of noun phrase blind side
Explanation
To blindside is to launch a surprise attack, especially one that comes from an obstructed or hidden place. Your video game army might blindside your friend's army, resulting in your victory. If you come up from behind your brother and shove him, you can say that you blindside him. There is also a more figurative way to blindside someone — simply to do or say something the person is utterly unprepared for. You could blindside your family, for example, by suddenly announcing that you're moving to China. The oldest use of blindside as a verb, around 1968, referred to a football tackle.
Vocabulary lists containing blindside
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
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Lyrics from "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Baz Luhrmann
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Five Feet Apart
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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.
See Examples For:
In the forwards, George Martin makes his first England start since the 2025 Six Nations, joining Alex Coles in the second row with Ollie Chessum on the blindside flank.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
Kabeya's absence gives Bristol teenager Demelza Short, who made her Test debut in the second row against Scotland, a start at blindside flanker.
From BBC ● May 5, 2026
Deaves will start at openside flanker alongside blindside Alex Mann and Aaron Wainwright at No.8.
From Barron's ● Nov. 20, 2025
Another change to the starting 15 sees Wallace Sititi return at blindside flanker following a breakthrough 2024 campaign.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2025
It was her intent to blindside Scythe Curie with it.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Their view: that those AI skeptics could get blindsided this year.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
The people I spoke to are blindsided that this no longer appears to be the case and it will be down to individual platforms.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Saudi Arabia was blindsided by the U.A.E.’s exit, according to Gulf officials familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
Higgins, who lost Season 4 of “The Traitors” in the finale after being blindsided by her friend and co-star Rob Rausch, rose to prominence on “Love Island” in 2019.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
In two moves, the ablutionist blindsided the careless pawn and removed it from the field.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
It’s more than fair to say that this dust-up isn’t a new development that is blindsiding investors.
From Barron's ● Nov. 10, 2025
Fox News host turned Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth faced an investigation over a sexual assault allegation, blindsiding President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, according to news reports.
From Salon ● Nov. 15, 2024
So four people who knew Mr Altman and the business well reached a breaking point of such seriousness that they sprung into action immediately, blindsiding the entire tech community including, reportedly, their own investors.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2023
“It’s been awful. It’s been blindsiding, it’s been a shock because I personally love the L.A. Times and I loved working for you guys and ... that’s gone.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2023
Reckitt recently raised prices on some formulas, blindsiding some parents already frustrated with the struggle to find certain brands.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 28, 2023
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.
