blank

adjective \ ˈblaŋk \

|Updated on: 11 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: blank in a Sentence

Definition of blank

1 archaic : colorless

2 a : appearing or causing to appear dazed, confounded, or nonplussed

stared in blank dismay

b : expressionless

a blank stare

3 a : devoid of covering or content

a blank space

: such as

(1) : free from writing or marks

a blank sheet of paper

(2) : without any recorded sound or information

a blank drive/DVD/disk

b : having spaces to be filled in

a blank application form

— see also blank check

c : lacking interest, variety, or change

blank hours

4 : absolute, unqualified

a blank refusal

5 : unfinished; especially : having a plain or unbroken surface where an opening is usual

a blank key

a blank arch

—

blankly

adverb

—

blankness

noun

See blank defined for English-language learners

See blank defined for kids

Examples of blank in a Sentence

a blank sheet of paper
a book with blank pages

Recent Examples of blank from the Web

The film and superhero drew a blank with moviegoers and critics, scoring just 13% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

— charles stockdale and john harrington, USA TODAY, "The 24 most forgettable superheroes in movies," 5 July 2018
Inside was a book on Nelson Mandela, the South African statesman who spent 27 years in prison, and a blank journal for Johnson to chronicle his life as a free man.

— tim prudente, Washington Post, "Baltimore man exonerated of murder after 30 years in prison," 4 July 2018
Inside, Elene remained hostage to the rhythms of illness and treatment: the rounds of chemo, bouts of nausea and blocks of blank time.

— andy newman, New York Times, "Live, From the Children’s Ward," 29 June 2018
Women leaned on each other, artists experimented together, and groups agitated against blank-faced institutions.

— cate mcquaid, BostonGlobe.com, "At the ICA, throwing conceptual grenades," 28 June 2018
No matter how many times outsiders marvel at its work, its game designers must wake up each day, bike into the ivory cocoon of the R&D building, face the blank screen, and make something for the world.

— catherine cusick, Longreads, "Nintendo Can Keep a Secret," 22 June 2018
Each studio has a porch (with a single chair) and a giant loft-like space that in the past has been used by musicians, who fill it with a grand piano, by painters, who hang their work on the intentionally blank walls.

— liz stinson, Curbed, "These modern cabins in the woods serve as serene artist studios," 30 May 2018
There’s a city ordinance requiring parking decks to be screened with metal louvers or grates, but the imposing, blank facade still represented a daunting challenge to the building's appearance.

— ely portillo, charlotteobserver, "Here's how a developer is turning a drab parking deck into a huge Charlotte art piece | Charlotte Observer," 15 May 2018
But there’s a blank screen, and that’s controllable.

— lauren collins, The New Yorker, "Diana Henry’s Love Affairs with Menus," 7 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of blank

Middle English, from Anglo-French blanc colorless, white, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German blanch white; probably akin to Latin flagrare to burn — more at black

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

blank Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of blank

empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking contents which could or should be present. empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

- an empty bucket

vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

- a vacant apartment

blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

- a blank wall

void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

- a statement void of meaning

vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

- a vacuous facial expression

blank

noun

Definition of blank

1 obsolete : the bull's-eye of a target

2 a : an empty space (as on a paper)

b : a paper with spaces for the entry of data

an order blank

3 a : a piece of material prepared to be made into something (such as a key) by a further operation

b : a cartridge loaded with propellant and a seal but no projectile

4 a : an empty or featureless place or space

my mind was a blank

b : a vacant or uneventful period

a long blank in history

5 : a dash substituting for an omitted word

See blank defined for English-language learners

Examples of blank in a Sentence

The form has a blank for your signature.
The actors are shooting blanks.

Recent Examples of blank from the Web

In it, you are given the challenge to stump a bot named Mr. Computer Head by filling the blank in the sentence Jane ate spaghetti with ____________.

— ben zimmer, The Atlantic, "How Computers Parse the Ambiguity of Everyday Language," 27 June 2018
On the back, a court official filled in blanks indicating that Ms. Parks had been found guilty and sentenced to pay $10 or do hard labor.

— New York Times, "Found: Rosa Parks’s Arrest Warrant, and More Traces of Civil Rights History," 26 June 2018
At its best, Legion embodies the spirit of a comic by someone like Warren Ellis or even Alan Moore, someone who uses the form to examine deeper questions of human psychology and philosophy, often point blank.

— todd vanderwerff, Vox, "How Legion’s season 2 finale exposed the emptiness at the show’s core," 17 June 2018
These reboots operate under the faulty premise that character is a blank slot that women can fill just as adequately as a man.

— refinery29.com, "No More “But With Women” Remakes. Just Make Better Movies For Women.," 13 June 2018
Never leave a request for an essay blank because each one is given a score and could play a pivotal role in your acceptance.

— gerald bradshaw, Post-Tribune, "Summer is a key time for research on what college to attend," 7 June 2018
The bookmark is blank except for the store's name and address and a portrait of a whaling ship.

— christopher borrelli, chicagotribune.com, "How I make a summer reading list," 21 May 2018
A few fans speculated that the star’s blank Instagram and sudden love for Emily Nelsons everywhere has something to do with her upcoming film, A Simple Favor.

— alexia fernandez, PEOPLE.com, "Why Did Blake Lively Suddenly Delete Her Instagram Account?," 1 May 2018
Having finished no better than eighth in seven previous runs for the roses (with Favorite Trick in 1998), Mott now looks to a lightly raced chestnut colt called Hofburg to fill in the most conspicuous blank of his career.

— tim sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "In the Kentucky Derby, experts like trainer Bill Mott respect the unknown with their horses," 29 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of blank

circa 1570

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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blank Synonyms

Synonyms

black hole, blankness, emptiness, vacancy, vacuity, void;

Near Antonyms

fullness (also fulness), repleteness;

Related Words

nothingness;

inane, vacuum;

air, open, waste;

bareness, barrenness, bleakness, desolateness, hollowness;

cavity, gap, hole, hollow;

blank

verb

Definition of blank

blanked; blanking; blanks

transitive verb

1 a : obscure, obliterate

blank out a line

b : to stop access to : seal

blank off a tunnel

2 : to keep (an opponent) from scoring

were blanked for eight innings

3 British slang : to treat (a friend or acquaintance) in a hostile or unfriendly way : to ignore or refuse to talk to (someone)

And unpopular Gardiner has found himself isolated after the show's cast and crew blanked him.
—Mark Jefferies

intransitive verb

1 : fade —usually used with out

the music blanked out

2 : to become confused or abstracted —often used with out

his mind blanked out momentarily

See blank defined for English-language learners

Examples of blank in a Sentence

The goalie blanked the Falcons for two periods in the hockey game.

Recent Examples of blank from the Web

Baltimore has scored only seven runs during the skid and been blanked twice.

— david ginsburg, courant.com, "Sonny Gray, Aaron Judge Carry Yankees Past Orioles," 1 June 2018
Jordan Howey was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and Gloucester blanked Point Pleasant Beach, 7-0, in the Group 1 state semifinals.

— lauren green, Philly.com, "Thursday's South Jersey roundup: Vineland softball advances to Group 4 title game," 31 May 2018
Despite the total lack of run support, deGrom was able to keep the Braves in check, blanking them through six innings before running into trouble in the seventh.

— jon tayler, SI.com, "The Mets Keep Doing Nothing to Help the Brilliant Jacob deGrom," 28 May 2018
The Capitals forced the decisive seventh game back in Tampa by winning at home for the first time in the series, blanking the Lightning 3-0 in Washington.

— editors, USA TODAY, "NHL playoffs, Trump talks immigration, USA Gymnastics: 5 things to know Wednesday," 23 May 2018
Tampa Robinson defeated Green Cove Springs Clay 24-0, and Miami Edison blanked Belle Glade Glades Central 13-0 in the semifinals.

— mark blythe, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Wekiva falls in flag football state semifinal," 12 May 2018
Defenseman Nicklas Jensen scored two power-play goals and Frederik Storm added another as host Denmark blanked Norway, 3-0, to close in on a quarterfinal berth.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Rafael Nadal’s clay streak ends with Madrid defeat," 12 May 2018
Left-hander Kyle Freeland, who entered the game with a 2-4 record and 3.95 ERA, blanked the Brewers for 6 1/3 innings before turning it over to the bullpen.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Pitching merry-go-round continues for Brewers as Freddy Peralta gets call for MLB debut," 12 May 2018
In the morning semifinals, Robinson beat Clay (Greencove Springs) 24-0, while Edison blanked Glades Central 13-0.

— mike may, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Seminole Ridge overpowered in second half of state final flag football game," 12 May 2018

First Known Use of blank

1764

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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BLANK Defined for English Language Learners

blank

adjective

Definition of blank for English Language Learners

: without any writing, marks, or pictures
: having empty spaces to be filled in with information : not yet written in or filled out
: without any recorded sound or information

blank

noun

Definition of blank for English Language Learners

: an empty space on a document where you put information
: a period of time that you cannot remember anything about
: a gun cartridge that is filled with powder but that does not contain a bullet

blank

verb

Definition of blank for English Language Learners

: to keep (the opposing team) from scoring
: to behave in an unfriendly way toward (someone you have been friendly with in the past) : to ignore or refuse to talk to (someone)

BLANK Defined for Kids

blank

adjective \ ˈblaŋk \

Definition of blank for Students

1 : not having any writing or marks

a blank page

2 : having empty spaces to be filled in

a blank order form

3 : not showing emotion or understanding

a blank look

blank

noun

Definition of blank for Students

1 : an empty space in a line of writing or printing

2 : a paper with empty spaces to be filled in

“Do you have your entry blank for the dog show?”
—Beverly Cleary, Henry Huggins

3 : a cartridge loaded with powder but no bullet

4 : events or a time that cannot be remembered

Everything after the accident is a blank.

Learn More about blank

See words that rhyme with blank Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for blank Spanish Central: Translation of blank Nglish: Translation of blank for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of blank for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blank

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blank

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