What does blindfolding mean?
Blindfolding is the act of covering a person's eyes—typically with a cloth, bandage, or purpose-made mask—so that they are unable to see. The word most commonly appears as a verbal noun describing the process itself, whether in magic tricks, children's games such as pin the tail on the donkey, sensory-deprivation experiments, or trust-building exercises. It can also refer more generally to the practice of depriving someone of sight, sometimes carrying darker connotations when used in contexts of captivity. Because the related adjective and participle "blindfolded" is so much more common in everyday speech, "blindfolding" tends to surface mainly in procedural or descriptive writing: instructions for a game, accounts of an experiment, or narrative passages recounting how a blindfold was applied. The word derives straightforwardly from "blindfold," combining "blind" with "fold," reflecting the folding of cloth over the eyes.
nounThe act of covering someone's eyes with a cloth or bandage so they cannot see, or the material used for this purpose.
- The act of placing a blindfold over someone's eyes so that they cannot see
"The magician's blindfolding of the volunteer drew gasps from the audience."
"Blindfolding the contestant made the taste test far more challenging."
"The researchers insisted on blindfolding all participants to eliminate visual cues from the experiment."
Rarely pluralized; the plural would refer to multiple separate instances of the act.
"Repeated blindfoldings were part of the psychological study's protocol."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blindfolding
Blindfolding derives from "blindfold," a compound formed in Middle English from "blind" (Old English "blind") and "fold" (Old English "fealdan"), originally referring to the folding of a bandage over the eyes. The compound has been used since medieval times, appearing in English texts by at least the early modern period. It shares its Germanic roots with other Old English-derived words rather than Latin or Greek borrowings.
How blindfolding is actually used
Most often encountered as a verbal noun (gerund) describing the process of applying a blindfold; in everyday speech, people more frequently use "blindfolded" to describe the resulting state.
Easily confused with blindfolding
"Blindfolded" is an adjective or past participle describing a person who is wearing a blindfold, while "blindfolding" refers to the act of putting one on.