turn a blind eye — ignore wrongdoing
expressionB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To pretend not to notice something wrong, so you don't have to deal with it.
Pattern: turn a blind eye (to [something])
In use
- The staff just turned a blind eye to people parking on the grass.talking about rules
- A: Didn't anyone stop them?
B: No, they all turned a blind eye.discussing rule-breaking
Common mistake
✗ They turn blind eyes to the problem.
✓ They turn a blind eye to the problem.
It's always singular: 'turn a blind eye to', not 'turn blind eyes'.
Don't confuse it
'Turn a blind eye' is choosing to ignore; 'look the other way' is the same idea, even more informal.