adjective

far sighted

far-SY-tid

Far sighted (adjective) means Able to see distant objects clearly while close objects appear blurred. The usual British term is long-sighted and the clinical term is hyperopic. Example: “He is far-sighted and needs glasses to read a menu.”

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."

"Children can be far-sighted without noticing, because their eyes compensate."

Showing good judgement about what will be needed in the future; planning well ahead.

"A far-sighted council bought the land thirty years before it was needed."

"It was a far-sighted decision that saved the company in the downturn."

How to Use Far sighted

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCan see far away clearly but not close up — or, of a person, good at planning ahead.

When to use it

Both senses are neutral; the optical sense is American, the planning sense is used everywhere.

Memory tip

Both the hyphenated 'far-sighted' and the solid 'farsighted' are accepted; American dictionaries prefer the solid form.

Easily confused with

near-sighted long-sighted short-sighted → presbyopia

Common pairings

far-sighted vision far-sighted decision far-sighted policy far-sighted leadership

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Synonyms

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long-sighted hyperopic hypermetropic prescient forward-thinking prudent visionary shrewd

Antonyms

near-sighted short-sighted myopic reactive

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Rhymes for far sighted

lighted sighted weighted blighted delighted farsighted nearsighted copyrighted highlighted

See all rhymes for far sighted →

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.

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