Hindsight is 20/20 (Meaning, Origin, Examples)

What does “hindsight is 20/20” mean? This common idiom is used as an expression to show that life is mysterious. It is used to describe both vision and the ability to see things more clearly when they are in the past.

Meaning of “Hindsight is 20/20”

Hindsight is 20/20 refers to the ability to look back on an incident or scenario and have a greater perspective of how it could have been handled.   

“Hindsight” is the ability to look back in time, and “20/20” is the highest grade you can achieve on an eye test. Therefore, the saying suggests that we constantly reflect on how we may have handled a situation better.  

Hindsight Is 20/20 Origin

Although it’s said that hindsight is 20/20, what do those figures mean? In essence, it relates to a person’s normal visual acuity, which is the sharpness or clarity of their vision. Let me explain with an illustration:  

An eye chart called a “Snellen chart” evaluates someone’s visual acuity. For example, a person with a shared understanding can see each row of letters clearly if they are standing 20 feet away from an eye chart. It is known as having a 20/20 vision.  

So, what happens if the individual instead has 20/40 vision? The person’s dream is now worse, so while they can still make out letters at a distance of 20 feet, someone with normal vision can do the same at 40 feet.  

The critical thing to remember is that someone with 20/20 vision has good eyesight and can see things well. In light of this, the expression means that we can always see things more clearly (thus the term 20/20) when we reflect on how things may have been handled better.  

Examples of Hindsight Is 20/20

1. In this example, the idiom is used by two college students who have just made a poor choice.  

Frank: It’s unbelievable that I was exposed for cheating on that test.  

Karl: Yes, I did warn you that that was a horrible idea, Karl. The quiz didn’t have a lot of points, and this institution is very strict about cheating. So, you weren’t supposed to cheat!  

Frank: Well, I already know that. 20/20 hindsight.  

Karl: You should pay attention to me next time.  

2. In this illustration, two friends discuss past events they would change if they could.  

Lily: I wish I had pursued medical school. That’s what I’ve always wanted. My parents undoubtedly intended for me to follow in their footsteps and become a lawyer, but it never made me happy.  

Grace: Yes, I, too, have several serious regrets. My first spouse and I should never have gotten married. We had issues, but I believed we could overcome them. Unfortunately, in the end, the difficulties were too great to be solved.  

Lily: Do you believe the lessons we took from those negative encounters were worthwhile?  

Grace: No. I prefer to undo my deeds and do them over. I would never have made the decisions I did if I had known what I know now—20/20 hindsight.  

How To Properly Use Hindsight Is 20/20  

The phrase “hindsight is 20-20” can be used to explain to someone that they cannot anticipate the future. It is pointless to speculate about how they might have been able to change the outcome. Both professional and informal settings are appropriate for the phrase.  

When a coworker shares a tale of their actions being a mistake, you can exploit it. You might also use it to convey regret or dissatisfaction with your pals when they fail to properly examine a situation before acting.  

Summary  

The phrase “hindsight is 20/20” stresses how clear-eyed people are about their prior choices compared to how uncertain they are before making a choice.