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 therefore cannot afford to turn a blind eye to global overcapacity reaching critical levels.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 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

I’m sort of terrified, but I also feel like I need to not turn a blind eye to it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Most of the Peacekeepers turn a blind eye to the few of us who hunt because they're as hungry for fresh meat as anybody is.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins