turns a blind eye
Pretends not noticing
To turn a blind eye is to deliberately ignore something, especially wrongdoing or an inconvenient truth: Management turns a blind eye to the safety violations.
The phrase suggests willful ignorance—choosing not to see what's plainly visible.
Someone who turns a blind eye knows what's happening but pretends otherwise, often to avoid confrontation or responsibility.
- condoneAccept without protest
- acquiesceSubmit without protest
- overlookMiss or commanding view
- connivanceWillful blindness to wrongdoing
- complicityShared criminal involvement
see no evil · hear no evil · tolerate · ignore · head in the sand · willful ignorance · plausible deniability · enabling · none the wiser · forgive · disregard · tacit approval · wink and a nod · excuse · neglect · accept · pardon · dismiss
turns a blind eyekeeps an eye on
Observes with care
watches like a hawk · scrutinizes · takes notice · looks into · pays heed
turns a blind eyeconfronts
Addresses a problem directly
intervenes · takes action · calls out · steps in · addresses
turns a blind eyeblows the whistle
Reports illegal activity
exposes · reports · brings to light · speaks up · outs
turn, turns, turned, turning, turner, turnable, overturn, blind, blinds