blind as a bat
Utterly without vision
Blind as a bat describes someone with very poor eyesight: Without my glasses, I'm blind as a bat.
The comparison is ironic—bats aren't actually blind, but their reliance on echolocation rather than vision gave rise to the misconception.
The phrase is informal and self-deprecating, rarely used to insult others.
Lacking visual perception
- obliviousLacking any awareness
- cluelessLacking any understanding
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
- inattentiveNot paying attention
unobservant · overlooking · ignorant · heedless · unmindful · unperceptive · undiscerning · insensitive
Poor distance vision
- myopicUnable to see far
- squintingNarrowing eyes to see
- gropingSearching by touch alone
- fumblingClumsy, uncoordinated handling
stumbling · disoriented · lost · helpless · vulnerable · dependent · struggling · handicapped
Navigation through reflected sound
- sonarUnderwater detection by echoes
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- misnomerIncorrectly applied designation
- fallacyError in reasoning
stereotype · misunderstanding · misbelief · debunked · inaccurate
Total absence of light
- nightDark hours daily
- twilightLight after sunset
- duskDimming after sundown
- caveUnderground hollow in rock
roosting · moonlight · shadows · dimness · gloom · murky · pitch-black · nighttime
Overstating beyond reality
- overstatementClaim beyond the facts
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
- embellishedDecorated or exaggerated
- colorfulFull of varied hues
humorous · teasing · self-deprecating · comical · ridiculous · absurd · over-the-top · theatrical
unseeing
Lacking visual perception
- obliviousLacking any awareness
- cluelessLacking any understanding
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
inattentive · unobservant · overlooking · ignorant · heedless · unmindful · unperceptive · undiscerning · insensitive · unknowing
nearsighted
Poor distance vision
fumbling · stumbling · disoriented · lost · helpless · vulnerable · dependent · struggling · handicapped · dim-sighted
echolocation
Navigation through reflected sound
- sonarUnderwater detection by echoes
- ultrasoundInaudible high-frequency waves
- misnomerIncorrectly applied designation
fallacy · stereotype · misunderstanding · misbelief · debunked · inaccurate
darkness
Total absence of light
cave · roosting · moonlight · shadows · dimness · gloom · murky · pitch-black · nighttime · starless
exaggeration
Overstating beyond reality
- overstatementClaim beyond the facts
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
- embellishedDecorated or exaggerated
colorful · humorous · teasing · self-deprecating · comical · ridiculous · absurd · over-the-top · theatrical · playful
- Animal Idiomsbrave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse, eats like a bird
- folk sayingsproverb, adage, maxim, folk saying, old saying
- Blindblindsided
blind as a bateagle-eyed
Exceptionally sharp of vision
sharp-eyed · hawk-eyed · lynx-eyed · twenty-twenty vision · clear-sighted
blind as a batobservant
Noticing things readily
perceptive · sharp · alert · vigilant · discerning
blind, blindness, blinds, blinding, blinded, blindly, blindingly, blinder, blindest