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blank

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noun

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as in form
a piece of paper with information written or to be written on it handed him an employment blank to fill out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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blank

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective blank contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of blank are empty, vacant, vacuous, and void. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When could empty be used to replace blank?

Although the words empty and blank have much in common, empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When can vacant be used instead of blank?

In some situations, the words vacant and blank are roughly equivalent. However, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

Where would vacuous be a reasonable alternative to blank?

The words vacuous and blank are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

When would void be a good substitute for blank?

The meanings of void and blank largely overlap; however, void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

Examples of blank in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
No pictures hang on the wall, even the whiteboard remains blank. Sebastian Shukla, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024 Gone are the days when models had to dress like a blank canvas for their various go-sees. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
Set to be published next month, From Here to the Great Unknown is composed mostly of Presley’s words, with Keough filling in the blanks from her own memory and those closest to her. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2024 Moore fills in the blanks with some compelling nonverbal passages of despair, or discovery of the new her, or jealousy on the cusp of revenge. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2024
Verb
The Rockies’ bright spots came from third baseman Ryan McMahon, shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and a bullpen that blanked Detroit for four innings. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 11 Sep. 2024 Shut out only twice last year, the Braves have been blanked nine times this season. Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blank 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blank.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near blank

Cite this Entry

“Blank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blank. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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