blanch

verb \ ˈblanch \

Updated on: 28 Feb 2018

Definition of blanch

: to take the color out of

Age had blanched his hair.

: such as

a cooking : to scald or parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin from, whiten, or stop enzymatic action in (such as food for freezing)

blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water

b : to bleach by excluding light

blanch the leaves of a plant

c : to make ashen or pale

fear blanches the cheek

intransitive verb

: to become white or pale (as from shock or fear)

His face blanched with horror.

—often used figuratively to describe a reaction of shock or dismay that makes someone unwilling or reluctant to proceed

Civilians also saw benefits to the system but blanched when talk then included references to $300-plus user fees.
—Dan Fales

… the managers of the companies blanched at the expenditures necessary to retool factories.
—Charles C. Mann

—

blancher

noun

See blanch defined for English-language learners

See blanch defined for kids

Examples of blanch in a Sentence

Blanch the potatoes before slicing them.
a cup of blanched almonds
She blanched and remained silent when the store owner accused her of taking the money.

Recent Examples of blanch from the Web

For the sauce, blanch the lamb’s-quarters in a saucepan of simmering water, 30 seconds; drain.

— bill daley, chicagotribune.com, "Chef Iliana Regan transforms unloved kohlrabi, lamb's-quarters, purslane in Ugly Food Rescue," 7 Sep. 2017
Other countries have blanched at the potential for disaster, Dr. Hecker noted, including the Chinese, who conducted one missile launch with a live nuclear weapon in the warhead.

— david e. sanger and william j. broad, New York Times, "Prospect of Atmospheric Nuclear Test by North Korea Raises Specter of Danger," 22 Sep. 2017
To bring out the color of vegetables and to reduce their cooking time, blanch them and shock them in ice water.

— nancy miller, The Courier-Journal, "A Korean spin on fall squash? Sullivan chef prepares to delight at 'A Tale of Five Courses'," 26 Sep. 2017
Tossing roasted or blanched vegetables in this pesto vinaigrette will hit every bite with herby goodness, tangy acidity, and fat, which just so happens to be the Holy Trinity of salad seasoning.

— alex delany, Bon Appetit, "How to Use Pesto: 3 Unexpected Ways to Go Green," 12 Sep. 2017
Solange's chameleonic mane went back to braids this week, blanched plaits edged in stacks of cherry red beads that called to mind fallen leaves and the month's forthcoming treats.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "The 10 Best Beauty Instagrams of the Week: Kaia Gerber, Solange Knowles, and More," 15 Oct. 2017
Even staunch charter advocates have blanched at the Michigan model.

— mark binelli, New York Times, "Michigan Gambled on Charter Schools. Its Children Lost.," 5 Sep. 2017
Tender beets mixing and mingling with stewed swiss chard spiked with pickled onion and barely blanched snap peas add a bright and pleasing crunch.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Review: Volare revamped its dishes but it's still a Louisville classic," 25 Oct. 2017
Liberals blanched when Tom Cruise amplified this voice in the Reaganite Top Gun.

— kyle smith, National Review, "Tom Cruise’s Latest Film Fabricates History to Attack President Reagan," 27 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blanch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.