Meaning & use
blindside
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Meanings
verbtransitiveinformalfigurative
To surprise someone with something unexpected and unpleasant that they did not see coming.
Grammar: Takes a person as the object and is often passive: I was blindsided by the news.
Patterns
- blindside someone
- be blindsided by something
The sudden resignation blindsided the whole department.
I was completely blindsided by her question.
The bad review blindsided the director.
verbtransitivesport
To hit or attack someone from the side where they cannot see you, especially in sport or in traffic.
Grammar: Literal, physical use, common in American football and car accidents.
Patterns
- blindside someone
A defender blindsided the quarterback and knocked the ball loose.
The truck blindsided the little car at the intersection.
He was blindsided by a tackle he never saw.
Word forms
| third person singular | blindsides |
|---|---|
| past tense | blindsided |
| past participle | blindsided |
| -ing form | blindsiding |
Common combinations
- completely blindsided
- We were completely blindsided by the announcement.
- blindsided by
- She was blindsided by the layoffs.
- blindside the quarterback
- The linebacker blindsided the quarterback.
- totally blindsided
- He was totally blindsided by the criticism.
- feel blindsided
- Many workers felt blindsided by the change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ambush
- Ambush suggests a planned attack from hiding, while blindside focuses on the victim not seeing it coming.
- surprise
- Surprise is neutral and can be pleasant, whereas blindside is nearly always unpleasant.
- catch off guard
- Catch off guard is a looser phrase that can describe small embarrassments, while blindside implies a bigger blow.
- sideswipe
- Sideswipe often means a glancing hit or criticism and is milder than blindside.
Opposites
Word family
- blindsided adjective
- caught by surprise
- blind side noun
- the side where you cannot see
- blind adjective
- unable to see
- blindly adverb
- without seeing or thinking
Commonly confused: blindside or blind-sight?
blindside vs blind-sight
Blindsight is a rare medical term for responding to things you cannot consciously see; it is unrelated to being surprised.
Practice
I thought the meeting was routine, so I was completely ___ when they announced the merger.
Choose one answer.
To be blindsided means to be caught off guard by something unexpected. Blindfolded means eyes covered, and sidelined means removed from action.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “blindside”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.