Sight unseen
/saɪt ʌnˈsiːn/
B2
Definition
The phrase "sight unseen" is used when someone decides to accept or buy something without looking at it beforehand. It often means trusting or agreeing without visual proof or direct experience.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Agreeing or buying without seeing first
- •She bought the car sight unseen because she trusted the seller.
- •They accepted the job offer sight unseen, based only on the description.
- •Many people buy clothes online sight unseen, hoping they fit well.
Making a decision without direct experience
- •He agreed to the contract sight unseen, trusting his lawyer's advice.
- •They rented the apartment sight unseen because they were moving from another city.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "sight unseen" like "buy" (A1 word), but without looking at the item first—you trust or decide without seeing it.
- ✓Picture closing your eyes and agreeing to take something, like buying a house without visiting it.
- ✓It's the feeling of trusting something unknown, like when you believe a friend’s advice without checking yourself.
- ✓Sounds like "site un-SEEN" → Imagine a place (site) that you have never seen, but you still decide to go there or accept something from it.
- ✓Think of stories where people buy something online or agree to a deal without seeing the product.
- ✓NOT like "look before you buy" (you check first), "sight unseen" means you do the opposite—no checking.
- ✓NOT like "seen" (you have looked at it), "sight unseen" means you have NOT looked at it at all.
Try Other Words
- •Blindly: without careful thought or checking (Use when emphasizing lack of careful checking or thought)
- •Unseen: not seen or noticed (Use when focusing on the fact something was never looked at)
- •Without inspection: without checking or looking carefully (Use in formal or business contexts)
Unboxing
- •Phrase parts: "sight" (the ability to see) + "unseen" (not seen)
- •Etymology: English phrase combining "sight" (vision) and "unseen" (not looked at)
- •Historical development: Used since at least the 1600s to describe buying or accepting things without looking first
- •Modern usage: Common in business, real estate, and everyday talk when people trust or buy something without seeing it first
Reflect & Connect
•When is it safe or risky to accept something sight unseen? Can you think of examples from your own life?
•How does technology (like online shopping) change how often people do things sight unseen?
Fill in the blanks
1.She decided to buy the painting sight unseen because she ___ the artist's reputation.
2.Accepting a job sight unseen means you ___ the workplace or conditions before agreeing.
3.Unlike buying in a store, buying sight unseen requires more ___ or trust.
4.When you buy a house sight unseen, you ___ visit or inspect it first.
5.People often buy clothes sight unseen when shopping ___.
6.Renting an apartment sight unseen can be risky because you ___ the actual condition.
7.He agreed to the deal sight unseen, showing he ___ confidence in the other party.