far sighted
8 synonyms and 4 antonyms for far sighted, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Able to see distant objects clearly while close objects appear blurred. The usual British term is long-sighted and the clinical term is hyperopic.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Able to see distant objects clearly while close objects appear blurred. The usual British term is long-sighted and the clinical term is hyperopic.
“He is far-sighted and needs glasses to read a menu.”
Opposites
How to Use Far Sighted
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Both senses are neutral; the optical sense is American, the planning sense is used everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between far-sighted and near-sighted?
A far-sighted eye focuses light behind the retina, so distance vision is clearer and close work is blurred and tiring. A near-sighted eye focuses light in front of the retina, so reading is fine but road signs are a blur. Far-sightedness is corrected with convex (plus) lenses, near-sightedness with concave (minus) ones.
Is far-sighted the same as long-sighted?
Yes. Long-sighted is the usual British term and far-sighted the American one; the clinical name in both is hyperopia. Presbyopia, the age-related loss of close focus after about 40, is a separate condition often mistaken for it.
Can far-sighted describe a person's thinking as well as their eyes?
It can, and that sense is entirely positive — it means someone who anticipates what is coming. Confusingly, short-sighted is used the same way as an insult, meaning someone who only thinks about the immediate.