farsightedness

noun

far·​sight·​ed·​ness ˈfär-ˌsī-təd-nəs How to pronounce farsightedness (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being farsighted : the ability to anticipate and plan for the future
Here was a man capable of an extraordinary farsightedness and liberality on the international scene.John F. Burns
2
: a condition in which visual images come to a focus behind the retina of the eye and vision is better for distant than for near objects : hyperopia
… in June the F.D.A. approved a new procedure … for treatment of mild to moderate farsightedness in people over 40.Kenneth Chang

Examples of farsightedness in a Sentence

thanks to our farsightedness, we had sufficient emergency supplies when the storm knocked out our power
Recent Examples on the Web For example, research released in 2018 showed that extended stays in space can cause farsightedness and swelling of the optic nerve. Hailey Rose McLaughlin, Discover Magazine, 13 Feb. 2020 Another man with the condition required multiple eyeglass prescriptions, shifting even between nearsightedness and farsightedness in the span of a day. Joe Didonato, Forbes, 25 Apr. 2022 Colonel de Gaulle’s farsightedness was greeted by the French military and successive governments with at the best indifference and at the worst hostility. John R. MacArthur, Harper’s Magazine , 7 Dec. 2021 Functional vision goes way beyond simple problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, instead relating to the way the eyes function together and send visual information to the brain for processing. Melanie Savage, courant.com, 16 Aug. 2020 The system will address everything from astigmatism, to farsightedness, and nearsightedness, according to Patently Apple, which first spotted the patents. Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 12 July 2020 These are simply garden-variety nearsightedness and farsightedness as well as astigmatism (distorted vision at all distances) and presbyopia, which is the loss of up-close focusing ability (hello, reading glasses!). Meryl Davids Landau, Good Housekeeping, 13 Mar. 2020 Contact lenses can be worn to correct a variety of vision conditions, such as myopia, or nearsightedness; hyperopia, or farsightedness; and astigmatism. Tiffany Yannetta, Seventeen, 26 Oct. 2018 Vann’s stewardship as editor and publisher was characterized by crusading intensity tempered with a shrewd farsightedness about the newspaper’s long-term prospects. Gene Seymour, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'farsightedness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of farsightedness was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near farsightedness

Cite this Entry

“Farsightedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/farsightedness. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

farsightedness

noun
far·​sight·​ed·​ness
-ˈsīt-əd-nəs
1
: the condition of having foresight
2
: a visual condition in which a person can see distant things more clearly than near ones

Medical Definition

farsightedness

noun
far·​sight·​ed·​ness
1
: the quality or state of being farsighted
2

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