blank slate

noun

: tabula rasa

Examples of blank slate in a Sentence

She viewed her students as blank slates, just waiting to be filled with knowledge.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lori seems to be a bit of a blank slate, both to Julian’s bumbling children and to Julian himself, who thinks Lori has been hired as his assistant to help manage his affairs and sort through the paintings littering his crumbling abode. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026

What gives a being that’s tantamount to a jovial blank slate such staying power? —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026

When my husband and I purchased our first home, the yard was pretty much a blank slate. —Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026

As Adam reenters the dating world, his sister encourages him to view it as a fresh start, and scenic designer Milo Bue visually evokes the idea of a blank slate by employing off-whites and greys for Adam’s studio apartment in New York City. —Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for blank slate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate