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

“We can’t turn a blind eye to the fact that stablecoins are a new asset class,” board member Christine Botosan said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

"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 • Mar. 26, 2026

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

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

He might choose to turn a blind eye to gold’s signal but that doesn’t mean investors should.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

The CIA operated covertly in Vietnam, as it did in many countries, and let the Vietnamese generals know the Americans would turn a blind eye to their plans.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge