blindsided

[ blahynd-sahy-did ]

adjective

1. Sports. tackled, hit, or attacked by an opponent on the blind side, out of the player’s field of vision:

   The blindsided offensive lineman was taken down by the defensive tackle coming around the other way.

2. attacked critically or taken by surprise where one is vulnerable, uninformed or unprepared, etc.:

   Told by a cryptic university official that his keynote address was being canceled “for political reasons,” the blindsided philanthropist was left searching for answers.

3. (of such an attack, tackle, etc.) delivered from the blind side, unexpectedly, or in a way that exposes or takes advantage of a vulnerability:

   A staff meeting is no place for a blindsided assault on an administrator.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of blindside.

Word History and Origins

Origin of blindsided¹

First recorded in 1985–90; blindside + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; blindside + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Determined not to be blindsided a second time, I steeled myself for the return of this relentless specter in 2024.

From Salon

Some recipients may have been blindsided by Ray’s demand for the return of contributions that were originally made in 2021 or 2022, when Bankman-Fried was trying to build up his stature.

From Los Angeles Times

She later revealed that she had been blindsided by the policy, and had told Trump privately that she did not support it.

From BBC

Hours later, LaPaglia wrote on her Instagram story that she was “really blindsided” and shared plans to “hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Hey guys I’m feeling really blindsided right now,” the internet personality said on her Instagram story, sharing plans to “hop off social media for a while and attempt to heal privately.”

From Los Angeles Times