blindly
Americanadverb
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in a blind manner.
We felt our way blindly through the black tunnel.
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without understanding, reservation, or objection; unthinkingly.
They followed their leaders blindly.
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without continuation.
The passage ended blindly 50 feet away.
Other Word Forms
- overblindly adverb
Etymology
Origin of blindly
before 900; Middle English; Old English blindlīce; see blind, -ly
Explanation
To do something blindly is to do it without looking. This word also refers to doing things thoughtlessly. If you blindly accept the friendship ring someone gives you, you might find yourself going to the prom with the wrong date. There are two related senses of blindly, but both involve being in the dark. If you enter a room blindly, you have your eyes closed or can't find the light switch. A quarterback might blindly throw the ball if he's under pressure and can't see the receivers. Similarly, to make a decision blindly is to do it without careful consideration. Actions taken blindly are done without looking at the risks. People tend to get in trouble when they act blindly.
Vocabulary lists containing blindly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Instead of blindly bidding up shares of just about every company making its Wall Street debut, there have been some big misses scattered among some successful debuts.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize animals and even inanimate objects, says Ayanna Howard, dean of Ohio State University’s College of Engineering and a roboticist who has researched why humans blindly trust machines.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
Even if you hire a top team — including an experienced estate-planning attorney and financial adviser — don’t blindly follow their lead.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 6, 2025
"If injectors are not guided by ultrasound, they treat based on where the clinical findings are and inject blindly," Dr. Sigrist says.
From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025
He reached behind himself, hacking blindly at the cord, but only succeeded in becoming more entangled, both in the rope and the oilcloth that had been draped from the scaffolding above.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
