English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com

short sighted

6 synonyms and 4 antonyms for short sighted, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Unable to see distant objects clearly, so that things far away appear blurred while close-up things stay sharp.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

Rare, literary or technical

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

myopic near-sighted nearsighted imprudent unimaginative

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Unable to see distant objects clearly, so that things far away appear blurred while close-up things stay sharp.

“She has been short sighted since she was nine and cannot read road signs without her glasses.”

myopic near-sighted nearsighted

Opposites

long-sighted far-sighted

2. adjective

Concerned only with immediate results and failing to allow for what will happen later.

“Cutting the training budget to hit this quarter's target was short sighted.”

myopic imprudent unimaginative narrow

Opposites

far-sighted visionary prudent

How to Use Short Sighted

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

short-sighted decision short-sighted policy badly short-sighted short-sighted approach

Usually written short-sighted with a hyphen in British English, and often shortsighted as one word in American English. Doctors say myopic.

Etymology

A compound of short and sighted, first describing limited physical vision and later extended to limited foresight.

Full origin of short sighted →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between short sighted and near-sighted?

They mean exactly the same eye condition. Short-sighted is the usual British term and near-sighted the usual American one, while myopic is the clinical word used in both.

What is the difference between short sighted and long sighted?

A short-sighted person sees close objects clearly and distant ones blurred. A long-sighted person is the reverse: distance is comfortable and close work such as reading is blurred or tiring.

Is short sighted hyphenated?

In careful writing, yes: short-sighted. The unhyphenated short sighted is very common in casual use, and Americans often write it closed up as shortsighted.

People Also Searched

Nearby Words

← Back to the full definition of short sighted
Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.