blind alley

noun

: a fruitless or mistaken course or direction

Examples of blind alley in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The consistency of his defending has improved, as has his knack for knowing when to burst forward with the ball and when to wait for team-mates to join him instead of running down blind alleys. — Carl Anka, The Athletic, 11 Aug. 2024 Intellectual progress includes a lot of blind alleys and wrong turns along the way. — Tom Nichols, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blind alley was in 1665

Rhymes for blind alley

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Cite this Entry

“Blind alley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blind%20alley. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of blind alley for Spanish Speakers

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