short-sighted

A student squints at the chalkboard because he is short-sighted.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Unable to see distant objects clearly: "short-sighted" describes a person who has difficulty focusing on objects far away, often requiring glasses or contact lenses to see clearly.
   • Lacking foresight or long-term thinking: "short-sighted" can also describe decisions, actions, or plans that fail to consider future consequences, focusing only on immediate benefits.

Usage Examples

• Physical vision:

  • She is so short-sighted that she cannot read road signs while driving without her glasses. (She cannot see distant objects clearly.)
  • The doctor diagnosed him as short-sighted and prescribed corrective lenses. (He has a vision condition requiring glasses.)

• Figurative or metaphorical:

  • The company's short-sighted decision to cut research funding led to a loss of innovation. (The decision ignored long-term benefits.)
  • It was short-sighted of the government to ignore climate change warnings. (The action lacked foresight.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be short-sighted about something": to have a limited or narrow perspective on an issue.

  • He is short-sighted about the impact of pollution on future generations. (He fails to see the broader consequences.)

• "a short-sighted policy": a plan or rule that prioritizes immediate gains over sustainable outcomes.

  • The short-sighted policy of deforestation has caused soil erosion. (The policy ignored long-term environmental damage.)

Variants and Related Words

• Short-sightedness (noun): the condition of being short-sighted, either physically or metaphorically.

  • His short-sightedness regarding investments cost him a fortune. (His lack of foresight.)
  • Short-sightedness can be corrected with laser surgery. (The physical condition.)

• Short-sightedly (adverb): in a manner that lacks foresight.

  • The government short-sightedly approved the construction without environmental review. (They acted without considering future problems.)

Synonyms

• Myopic: literally or figuratively lacking foresight (often used in formal contexts).
  • A myopic view of the economy ignores global trends. (A narrow perspective.)
• Nearsighted: the American English term for the physical vision condition.
  • She is nearsighted and needs glasses for driving. (The same meaning as short-sighted.)

Related Idioms

• "Can't see the forest for the trees": to focus on small details and miss the bigger picture.
  • The manager is so short-sighted that he can't see the forest for the trees. (He ignores long-term strategy.)
• "Penny wise, pound foolish": to be careful with small amounts of money but wasteful with large sums (implying short-sightedness).
  • Cutting maintenance costs is penny wise, pound foolish — a short-sighted approach. (Focusing on immediate savings ignores future expenses.)

Phrasal Verbs

• "to be short-sighted about": to have a limited perspective on a topic.
  • They are short-sighted about the benefits of renewable energy. (They do not consider long-term advantages.)