Suffix · forms adjectives

-sighted

having a specified kind of vision or foresight; able (or unable) to see clearly at a distance or into the future

In Spanish: de vista / de visiónLiterary

Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated June 2026

What this suffix does

-sighted forms compound adjectives that describe both physical vision (the ability to see at certain distances) and the figurative capacity to see ahead in time or to perceive consequences. Shortsighted, farsighted, and nearsighted cover the physical spectrum; but farsighted, shortsighted, and clear-sighted also describe whether a person, policy, or plan can anticipate the future wisely. This double register — literal eye function and metaphorical intellectual vision — makes -sighted one of the most versatile and expressive compound elements in English.

How it is pronounced

-sighted

Tap the button to hear how the ending sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.

Examples

Base word

With -sighted

In a phrase

farfarsightedThe farsighted investor bought land in the area years before anyone else recognised its potential.
shortshortsightedCritics called the policy shortsighted, warning it would solve nothing while creating new problems within a decade.
clearclear-sightedShe was clear-sighted enough to see that the project, though exciting, was already doomed.
nearnearsightedNearsighted without his glasses, he squinted at the whiteboard and guessed at the equations.
longlong-sightedThe long-sighted plan prioritised infrastructure that would only pay dividends in thirty years.

Common mistakes

farsighted = always positive; shortsighted = always negative

both describe the range of vision, literal or figurative — context determines the value

"Farsighted" in a medical context simply means able to see distant objects clearly but struggling at close range. In figurative use it is almost always positive (the farsighted leader, the farsighted policy). "Shortsighted" in medical use means the opposite. In figurative use it is almost always negative (a shortsighted decision, a shortsighted approach). These figurative charges are so strong they have become close to fixed idioms.

"clear-sighted" = having good eyesight

"clear-sighted" = thinking clearly and realistically, without illusions

"Clear-sighted" is almost exclusively figurative. It means perceiving the real situation without wishful thinking, self-deception, or emotional distortion. It suggests both intellectual honesty and courage: a clear-sighted assessment is one that says what is actually true rather than what is comfortable.

A trick to remember it

The power of -sighted compounds is that they collapse a complex judgment about foresight into a single word. Saying a policy is "shortsighted" implies it fails to see consequences that should have been visible; saying a leader is "farsighted" implies a rare capacity to see further and more accurately than others. In journalism and politics these words do enormous work — they encode an entire assessment of intelligence and responsibility in one compound.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Form the word

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

"She was clear-sighted about the merger's risks even as her colleagues celebrated." What does "clear-sighted" mean here?

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Frequently asked questions

What does the suffix -sighted mean in English?

The suffix -sighted having a specified kind of vision or foresight; able (or unable) to see clearly at a distance or into the future In Spanish it usually maps to de vista / de visión.

Can you give an example of a word with -sighted?

"far" becomes "farsighted". It is a typical example of the -sighted suffix.

Other useful suffixes

Learn every English suffix

-tion, -ness, -ful, -ly, -able... every ending you need to understand thousands of words at once.

View all suffixes

What this suffix does

Examples

Base word

With -sighted

In a phrase

farfarsightedThe farsighted investor bought land in the area years before anyone else recognised its potential.
shortshortsightedCritics called the policy shortsighted, warning it would solve nothing while creating new problems within a decade.
clearclear-sightedShe was clear-sighted enough to see that the project, though exciting, was already doomed.
nearnearsightedNearsighted without his glasses, he squinted at the whiteboard and guessed at the equations.
longlong-sightedThe long-sighted plan prioritised infrastructure that would only pay dividends in thirty years.

Common mistakes

farsighted = always positive; shortsighted = always negative

both describe the range of vision, literal or figurative — context determines the value

"clear-sighted" = having good eyesight

"clear-sighted" = thinking clearly and realistically, without illusions

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Form the word

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

"She was clear-sighted about the merger's risks even as her colleagues celebrated." What does "clear-sighted" mean here?

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Frequently asked questions

What does the suffix -sighted mean in English?

The suffix -sighted having a specified kind of vision or foresight; able (or unable) to see clearly at a distance or into the future In Spanish it usually maps to de vista / de visión.

Can you give an example of a word with -sighted?

"far" becomes "farsighted". It is a typical example of the -sighted suffix.

-sighted

What this suffix does

How it is pronounced

Examples

Common mistakes

Practise what you learned

Frequently asked questions

Other useful suffixes

-eyed

-headed

-minded

Learn every English suffix

-sighted

What this suffix does

How it is pronounced

Examples

Common mistakes

Practise what you learned

Frequently asked questions

Other useful suffixes

-eyed

-headed

-minded

Learn every English suffix