blindsided

[blahynd-sahy-did] / ˈblaɪndˌsaɪ dɪd /

VERB

attack by surprise

Synonyms

WEAK

bushwhack catch unaware hit unexpectedly sucker-punch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Her lawyers argued the Supreme Court needed to hear the case so Murrin and millions of people like her wouldn’t be blindsided by the IRS years after tax preparers took advantage of them.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 25, 2026

Staff at Molineux have been stunned by the decision which also blindsided Rob Edwards and his coaching team.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Higgins, who lost Season 4 of “The Traitors” in the finale after being blindsided by her friend and co-star Rob Rausch, rose to prominence on “Love Island” in 2019.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

The city’s real-estate leaders were blindsided by a proposed new tax that could hurt their business.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Furious at being blindsided by the appointment, Bush dodged Groves’s brusque queries about the state of the project and dashed off a prickly letter to Stimson’s assistant, Harvey Bundy.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik