nearsighted

4 synonyms and 4 antonyms for nearsighted, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Able to see things clearly only when they are close, with distant objects appearing blurred; short-sighted.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

short-sighted myopic shortsighted short-term

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Able to see things clearly only when they are close, with distant objects appearing blurred; short-sighted.

“I'm too nearsighted to read the road signs without my glasses.”

short-sighted myopic shortsighted

Opposites

farsighted long-sighted hyperopic

2. adjective

Concerned only with immediate results and failing to consider longer-term consequences.

“Cutting the training budget to hit this quarter's target was a nearsighted decision.”

short-sighted myopic short-term

Opposites

farsighted visionary

How to use nearsighted

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

severely nearsighted nearsighted in one eye a nearsighted policy

Neutral and everyday in American English. British writers usually say short-sighted; myopic is the medical term.

Etymology

A compound of near and sighted, describing sight that works only at near range.

Full origin of nearsighted →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between nearsighted and farsighted?

A nearsighted person sees close objects clearly and distant ones blurred, because the eye focuses light in front of the retina. A farsighted person has the opposite problem: distance is easier and close work such as reading is blurred. Nearsightedness is corrected with concave (minus-power) lenses, farsightedness with convex (plus) ones.

Is nearsighted the same as myopic?

Yes. Myopic is the clinical term for the same condition, from the Greek for "closing the eyes", and it appears on prescriptions and in medical notes. Nearsighted is the everyday American word for it.

Is it nearsighted or short-sighted?

They mean exactly the same thing; nearsighted is standard in American English and short-sighted in British English. In the figurative sense of poor planning, short-sighted is the more common form on both sides of the Atlantic.

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visionary farsighted myopic hyperopic

Nearby words

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