Meaning & use
blinker
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableAmericaninformal
A flashing light on a vehicle that tells other drivers you are about to turn.
Grammar: Mainly American English; British speakers say indicator.
Patterns
- use your blinker
- turn on the blinker
He forgot to use his blinker before turning left.
The blinker kept flashing for a full mile.
Please turn on your blinker when you change lanes.
nounusually pluralBritish
A flap on a horse's bridle that keeps it from seeing to the side.
Grammar: Usually plural: a horse wearing blinkers. The American word is often blinder.
Patterns
- a horse in blinkers
The racehorse wore blinkers to help it focus.
The carriage horse's blinkers stopped it from looking at the crowds.
The trainer adjusted the blinkers before the race.
nounusually pluralfigurativeBritish
Something that stops you from seeing the whole picture, such as narrow attitudes.
Grammar: Figurative; often in the phrase wear blinkers.
Patterns
- wear blinkers
- with blinkers on
Some managers wear blinkers and ignore new ideas.
He looked at the problem with blinkers on.
The report removed the blinkers from the debate.
Word forms
| plural | blinkers |
|---|
Common combinations
- left blinker
- Her left blinker was still flashing.
- turn on your blinker
- Turn on your blinker before you merge.
- wear blinkers
- The committee wore blinkers about the budget.
- put on blinkers
- The trainer put blinkers on the nervous horse.
- blinker light
- The blinker light stopped working.
Synonyms and how they differ
- indicator
- Indicator is the standard British word for a car's turn light, while blinker is mainly American.
- turn signal
- Turn signal is the neutral American term, and blinker is more informal.
- blinder
- Blinder is the more common American word for a horse's side flap.
- blinkers
- Used figuratively, it suggests narrow thinking, similar to tunnel vision.
Word family
Commonly confused: blinker or blinder?
blinker vs blinder
A blinder in American English can mean the same horse flap. In British English a blinder can also mean an excellent performance.
Practice
An American driver says, Use your blinker. What are they talking about?
Choose one answer.
In American English, a blinker is the turn signal. The other parts are different controls.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “blinker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.