Word
blindsided
Phoneticsblind·sid·ed
US/ˈblaɪˌndsaɪdɪd/
UK/blˈaɪndsaɪdɪd/
Definition
adj. feeling completely surprised by something bad that you did not see coming. It is like being hit by a car from the side where you weren't looking.
adj. feeling incapacitated or overwhelmed by a sudden, unexpected, and typically negative event. Often used predicatively to describe a state of shock resulting from a lack of preparation or warning.
Examples
“I was completely blindsided by the news of his resignation.”
“The small company was blindsided when their main supplier suddenly went out of business without any prior warning.”
“Even the most seasoned political analysts were blindsided by the election results, which defied every major polling projection released in the weeks leading up to the vote.”
Examples
simple
“I was completely blindsided by the news of his resignation.”
contextual
“The small company was blindsided when their main supplier suddenly went out of business without any prior warning.”
complex
“Even the most seasoned political analysts were blindsided by the election results, which defied every major polling projection released in the weeks leading up to the vote.”
Usage
Commonly used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'get'.
Real-World Examples
“If we treat computers as if they could think, we might get blindsided, or unpleasantly surprised.” “Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) blindsided the nation’s economists by keeping interest rates at 3.85%.” “Today, we were blindsided by news from Vox Media management that many of our colleagues at Thrillist and Eater would lose their jobs.” Etymology
The term comes from American football. A player’s “blind side” is the side they cannot see clearly. To be blindsided is to be hit or tackled from that hidden direction when you are not looking.
Original etymology written by Shinotoshi Nakamura.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/blindsided