blackout

1 of 2

noun

black·​out ˈblak-ˌau̇t 

1

a

: a turning off of the stage lighting to separate scenes in a play or end a play or skit

also : a skit that ends with a blackout

b

: a period of darkness enforced as a precaution against air raids

c

: a period of darkness (as in a city) caused by a failure of electrical power

2

: a transient dulling or loss of vision, consciousness, or memory

an alcoholic blackout

3

a

: a wiping out : obliteration

b

: a blotting out by censorship : suppression

a news blackout

4

: a usually temporary loss of a radio signal

5

: the prohibition or restriction of the telecasting of a sports event

6

: a time during which a special commercial offer (as of tickets) is not valid

—usually used attributively

blackout dates

black out

2 of 2

verb

blacked out; blacking out; blacks out

transitive verb

1

a

: blot out, erase

blacked out the event from his mind

b

: to suppress by censorship

black out the news

2

: to envelop in darkness

black out the stage

3

: to make inoperative (as by a power failure)

4

: to impose a blackout on

blacked out the local game

intransitive verb

1

: to become enveloped in darkness

2

: to undergo a temporary loss of vision, consciousness, or memory

Synonyms of blackout

Noun

• daze
• trance
• faint
• syncope

Verb

• eradicate
• erase
• abolish
• destroy
• wipe out
• sweep (away)

Examples of blackout in a Sentence

Noun

the blackouts of World War II

She keeps flashlights and candles handy in case of a blackout.

He told his doctor he had been experiencing blackouts.

Verb

had spent most of her adulthood trying to black out memories of a wretched childhood

with the delivery of the knockout punch, the screen blacks out, and in the next scene the boxer wakes up in the hospital

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The flight cancellations, the daily blackouts and a worsening humanitarian crisis have all caused tourism to tank, with only 359,000 international arrivals recorded between January and May this year, a 58% contraction from the same period in 2025. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

Initially, crew members spoke over the intercom, saying there was an electrical blackout, that the situation was under control, and that guests should return to their rooms. — Katie Mather, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026

Verb

Everyone from Ed Sheeran to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell were spotted, as were several Kansas City Chiefs players, many of whom were captured loading into blacked out sprinter vans from a swanky hotel that media and some fans staked out. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026

Three pages of the 11-page sentencing submission filing by prosecutors are blacked out. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1824, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for blackout

• about
• bailout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout
• dugout

Kids Definition

blackout

noun

black·​out ˈblak-ˌau̇t 

1

: a period when lights are kept off to guard against enemy airplane attack in a war

2

: a period when lights are off as a result of an electrical power failure

3

: a temporary dulling or loss of vision or consciousness

black out

-ˈau̇t

verb

Medical Definition

blackout

1 of 2 noun

black·​out ˈblak-ˌau̇t 

: a transient dulling or loss of vision, consciousness, or memory

an alcoholic blackout

compare grayout, redout

black out

2 of 2 intransitive verb

(ˈ)blak-ˈau̇t 

: to undergo a temporary loss of vision, consciousness, or memory (as from temporary impairment of cerebral circulation, retinal anoxia, a traumatic emotional blow, or an alcoholic binge) compare gray out, red out

transitive verb

: to cause to black out