turn a blind eye

You will usually see this paired with the preposition to. You turn a blind eye TO something. It can be a crime, a mistake, or even a bad habit. Grammatically, it functions as a transitive verb phrase. You can use it in any tense. 'He turned a blind eye last week.' 'They are turning a blind eye right now.' It fits perfectly into professional reports and casual gossip. It is a 'Goldilocks' phrase—not too formal, not too slangy. It sits right in the middle of natural English. Just remember that the 'eye' is usually singular. You don't turn 'blind eyes' unless you are talking about a group of people all ignoring things separately. Even then, keep it simple. It is a fixed expression. Don't try to get too fancy with the adjectives either. 'Turning a blurry eye' just sounds like you need a new prescription for your glasses.

Think about the last time you were at a concert. People were probably recording the whole show on their phones. Most venues have rules against this. But the security guards just stand there. They are turning a blind eye because stopping everyone would cause a riot. Or think about your favorite streaming app. Maybe you shared your password with a friend three cities away. The company might know, but they turn a blind eye to keep you as a loyal fan. In a Zoom meeting, your cat might jump on your keyboard. Your boss might turn a blind eye to the chaos because they like your cat. It happens in politics, too. Leaders often turn a blind eye to minor scandals to focus on big laws. It is the grease that keeps the wheels of society moving without too much friction.

Use this when there is a clear rule being broken. It works best when the person ignoring the act has some authority. A teacher might turn a blind eye to a student whispering if the student is usually perfect. A parent might turn a blind eye to a messy room during exam week. It is perfect for situations where 'mercy' is more important than 'justice'. You can also use it to describe a moral failure. If a company ignores safety risks to make more money, they are turning a blind eye to danger. It adds a bit of drama to your sentences. It sounds much more interesting than just saying 'they ignored it'. It paints a picture of someone literally rotating their head away from the truth.

Do not use this for things you honestly did not see. If you walked past a five-dollar bill on the ground because you were looking at a bird, you didn't turn a blind eye. You just missed it. This phrase requires intent. Also, don't use it for positive things. You don't turn a blind eye to someone doing a great job. That is just 'noticing'. It is almost always reserved for mistakes, sins, or rule-breaking. Finally, avoid using it for things that aren't visual. While you can turn a blind eye to a loud noise metaphorically, it usually implies something you could physically observe. If someone is shouting, you might 'turn a deaf ear' instead. Using the eye phrase for sounds is a bit like trying to smell a painting—it just doesn't quite fit the senses.

Learners often mix up the small words in this idiom. A very common error is saying turn the blind eye. That 'a' is very important. It refers to one specific (metaphorical) eye. Another mistake is using the wrong body part. ✗ turn a blind ear → ✓ turn a deaf ear. If you say someone 'turned a blind ear', native speakers will think your ears have cataracts! Also, watch the verb. ✗ make a blind eye → ✓ turn a blind eye. You aren't creating the eye; you are moving it. One more thing: don't pluralize it unnecessarily. ✗ they turned blind eyes → ✓ they turned a blind eye. Even if a whole crowd is doing it, the idiom usually stays in its singular form to keep the rhythm. It is a classic 'set-it-and-forget-it' phrase. Stick to the template and you will sound like a pro.

If you want to spice things up, you can say someone is looking the other way. This is almost an exact synonym. It feels a bit more physical and direct. Another option is closing your eyes to something. This implies a more internal choice to be ignorant. If someone is ignoring a massive, obvious problem, we say they are burying their head in the sand. That one is a bit more insulting. It suggests they are being foolish or cowardly. For a more formal vibe, you could use condone. If you condone a behavior, you are basically turning a blind eye to it officially. On the slang side, kids today might say someone is 'capping' if they pretend not to see the truth, but that is a bit of a stretch. Stick to look the other way for a safe bet.

While the phrase is mostly fixed, you will occasionally see shut one's eyes to. This is the older, slightly more poetic sibling of our phrase. You might also hear people say someone is giving the green light by turning a blind eye. This means their silence is actually a form of permission. In legal contexts, you might hear the term willful blindness. This is the fancy, 'suit-and-tie' version of turning a blind eye. It means the same thing, but it can get you sent to jail! In sports, commentators often say the ref 'let it go'. This is a casual way to describe turning a blind eye to a minor foul. No matter the variation, the core idea is the same: the truth is there, but the witness is 'gone'.

Can I use this for my own mistakes? Usually, no. You turn a blind eye to *others*. If you ignore your own diet, you are 'in denial'. Is it a bad thing? Often, yes. It implies you are letting something bad happen. But sometimes it is a kind way to help a friend save face. Is it formal? It is neutral. You can use it in a college essay or a text message. It is incredibly versatile. Does it work for sounds? Technically, no. Use turn a deaf ear for sounds. But in casual speech, people might understand you if you use it for 'the truth' in general. Just keep the pirate in mind, and you will always remember that it is about *seeing* (or not seeing) the signal.