turn a blind eye to

Idioms  

1. Deliberately overlook, ignore, as in She decided to turn a blind eye to her roommate's goings-on. This expression is believed to come from the siege of Copenhagen (1801), in which Lord Horatio Nelson, second in command of the English fleet, was ordered to withdraw but pretended not to see the flagship's signals to do so by putting his glass to the eye that had been blinded in an earlier battle. His attack led to a major victory. Also see turn a deaf ear.

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Example Sentences

"While we will continue our efforts to maintain constructive relationships and avoid volatility, we will not turn a blind eye to any risks to our interests."

From BBC

But at the same time, the law can’t allow them to turn a blind eye to their children’s problems.

From Slate

"As a responsible government, we cannot turn a blind eye to these heartbreaking statistics. These are not just numbers, they represent human lives, the hope of many Ghanaian families and our nation."

From Barron's

Ablakwa described the figures as "depressing and frightening," saying Ghana "cannot turn a blind eye to these heartbreaking statistics".

From BBC

Bea Kim said the US is "very divided" but "diversity is what makes us a very strong country", while fellow snowboarder Maddie Mastro said she is "saddened with what's happening at home. I feel like we can't turn a blind eye to that."

From BBC