Meaning & use

shortsighted

adjective·Academic

Lacking imagination or foresight about the future, or, literally, unable to see distant objects clearly.

See it in a sentence

Critics called the budget cuts shortsighted, warning they would cause bigger problems later.

Being shortsighted, she always sat near the front of the classroom to see the board.

A note on using this word

Shortsighted is used both for the physical eye condition and, more commonly in writing, for poor planning that fails to consider long-term consequences.

Words with a similar meaning

nearsightedimprudent

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

farsighted

Make it your own

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