color-blind
adjective
col·or-blind
ˈkə-lər-ˌblīnd
variants
or colorblind
1
: affected with partial or total inability to distinguish one or more chromatic colors
Dull colors are the rule for color-blind animals, like elephants and hippos and rhinos.—Terence Monmaney
… the examiner in Seattle who had first looked at these capsules couldn't possibly have seen the green specks: he was color-blind.—David Fisher
It really was an awful garment, that pullover. It had a queasy zigzag pattern, in many strange, unhappy colors. It looked like something knitted as a present by a colorblind aunt.—Terry Pratchett
2
: not influenced by differences of race (see race entry 1 sense 1a)
a color-blind policy/approach
especially
: treating all people the same regardless of race
… a country that prefers to see itself as colorblind. —Sidsel Overgaard
Note: While sense 2 can be used with positive connotations of freedom from racial prejudice, it often suggests a failure or refusal to acknowledge or address the many racial inequities that exist in society, or to acknowledge important aspects of racial identity.
Equitable instruction isn't colorblind, it is responsive to students' unique and diverse backgrounds, said Imani Goffney, assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of Maryland College of Education's Center for Mathematics Education. —Lindsay McKenzie
What I learned was that white parents often refrain from speaking with their children about race, racism and racial inequality. If racial discussions do occur they are characterized by a colorblind rhetoric. —Megan R. Underhill
3
: insensitive, oblivious
We maintain no cash reserves, assuming we can borrow our way out of a crisis. We live as if color-blind to risk.—Byron Moore
Cite this Entry
“Color-blind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/color-blind. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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