blind spot

noun

plural blind spots
1
a
: the small circular area at the back of the retina where the optic nerve enters the eyeball and which is devoid of rods and cones and is not sensitive to light

called also optic disc

see eye illustration
b
: a portion of a field that cannot be seen or inspected with available equipment
2
sometimes offensive : an area in which someone fails to exercise judgment or discrimination see usage paragraph at blind entry 1

Examples of blind spot in a Sentence

When driving on the highway, you need to make sure no one is in your blind spot before changing lanes. She has a blind spot concerning her son's behavior.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Program Beneath the Program The leadership development industry, Ward argues, has a structural blind spot. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 Real estate agents see the same blind spots in their clients. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 June 2026 Part of the blind spot is also structural. Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 25 June 2026 Yet significant blind spots remain. Jordan Schriver, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for blind spot

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of blind spot was in 1829

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blind spot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blind%20spot. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

blind spot

noun
1
a
: a point in the retina through which the optic nerve enters and which does not respond to light
b
: a part of an area that cannot be seen with available equipment
2
: an area of weakness (as in judgment)

Medical Definition

blind spot

noun
: the small circular area in the retina where the optic nerve enters the eye that is devoid of rods and cones and is insensitive to light

called also optic disc

More from Merriam-Webster on blind spot

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster