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Synonyms

tunnel vision

American  
[tuhn-l vizh-uhn] / ˈtʌn l ˈvɪʒ ən /

noun

  1. a drastically narrowed field of vision, as in looking through a tube, symptomatic of retinitis pigmentosa.

  2. the tendency to look at things from only one point of view; prejudice or narrow-mindedness.

    All empires invariably produce a kind of tunnel vision.

  3. a fixation on only one objective, course of action, etc..

    These special interest groups operate with defiantly single-minded tunnel vision.
tunnel vision British  

noun

  1. a condition in which peripheral vision is greatly restricted

  2. narrowness of viewpoint resulting from concentration on a single idea, opinion, etc, to the exclusion of others

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does tunnel vision mean? Literally, tunnel vision is a term meaning that the edges of your vision are lost and only central focus remains, as if you were looking through a tunnel.Figuratively, it is a lack of perspective caused by intense focus on one object, leading to neglect of your surroundings and responsibilities or being closed off to other viewpoints.How do you pronounce tunnel vision?[ tuhn-l vizh-uhn ]

Other Word Forms

  • tunnel-visioned adjective

Etymology

Origin of tunnel vision

First recorded in 1940–45

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.

But you can go further, by getting AI to point out the patterns that lead to tunnel vision.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Andy was born with retinal dystrophy, an inherited condition causing progressive vision loss, which eventually leads to tunnel vision and potentially blindness.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

He has to adopt tunnel vision, and only pay attention to the plan his team has developed.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2023

However, just because the story is titled "Oppenheimer" doesn't mean one has to adhere to such tunnel vision in storytelling.

From Salon • Jul. 28, 2023

Maybe I’m one of those guys who gets tunnel vision whenever he falls for someone.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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.