blank

1 of 3

adjective

ˈblaŋk 

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

blank

2 of 3

noun

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

blank

3 of 3

verb

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

Synonyms

Adjective

• catatonic
• deadpan
• empty
• expressionless
• impassive
• inexpressive
• numb
• stolid
• vacant

Noun

• document
• form
• paper

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Examples of blank in a Sentence

Adjective

a blank sheet of paper

a book with blank pages

Noun

The form has a blank for your signature.

The actors are shooting blanks.

Verb

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The specifics of the actors’ performances—and their grounding in the thirties—give way to a blank canvas of a backdrop, suggesting that this story could happen anytime, in any place. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023

The Legacy Estates are currently offered as blank homesites, perfect for envisioning your own dream villa, but future plans may include a turnkey option. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 4 Dec. 2023

But having a blank canvas to decorate feels exciting. —Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2023

Nurses shone flashlights in the nooks, the crannies...sketching my scars, my marks, my roughness on a sheet resembling a blank silhouette. —Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023

Opt for a white Christmas tree as a blank canvas to display pink ornaments, tinsel, and bows, and sprinkle in other pastel hues in the form of a tree skirt, wrapping paper, or tree topper. —Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023

This affordable pine wreath serves as a blank canvas for adding your own bows, candles, and more. —Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023

Another sequence in the film emphasizes Beyoncé’s fatigue, showing her blank expression in reverse while going over tour production cues. —Jaelani Turner-Williams, Rolling Stone, 26 Nov. 2023

In addition to creating the image of a blank canvas, Kamm points out that fixing the smaller projects is easier on your wallet. —Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Nov. 2023

Noun

Lillian isn’t so much an innocent as a blank, the blank screen onto whom others project their fantasies and desires. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2023

Boy Brow fluffs and tints, while the pen fills in the blanks with hair-like strokes. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023

All that stuff at which machines typically draw a blank. —WIRED, 26 Sep. 2023

Storm researchers are looking to fill in these blanks, though. —Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2023

The novel presumably filled in the blanks to build an engrossing tale, one that here comes across as a rote suspenser, complete with jump scares and a violent climax. —Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2023

But on Thursday, plaintiffs’ attorney David Brill asked the judge’s permission to use live rounds fired into a ballistic bullet trap, saying experts his team consulted noted a difference in the sound of blanks from the live rounds. —Roxanne Garcia, CNN, 20 July 2023

Also lovingly filling in blanks are the musical supervisor, Alexander Gemignani, and Sondheim’s longtime orchestrator, Jonathan Tunick, who have arranged themes from the earlier part of the show as instrumental interludes to take up the slack in the later part. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2023

Houchin told The Post that Gardner’s decision to use glue in the homemade blank is probably what led to the grandson’s injury. —Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023

Verb

Advertisement Putting on a bend-but-don’t break clinic, Bishop’s blanked the Eagles 27-0 on their home field to defend their Coastal League title. —Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2023

Heading the list is Newport Harbor, which blanked Laguna Beach last week for its 12th shutout and 18th victory in 19 games under coach Jason Guyser. —Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023

Olympian 19, Valhalla 0: QB Jayden Fuentes passed for a pair of TDs and rushed for another as Olympian (2-2) blanked Valhalla (2-2). —John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023

Lincoln and Carlsbad dominated their Open Division semifinal playoff games last season, Carlsbad routing Poway 37-0 and Lincoln blanking Madison 23-0. —Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2023

On Tuesday, Team Stars and Stripes blanked Oman 4-0 in Minneapolis. —Joseph Goodman | [e-mail], al, 13 Sep. 2023

Now the Reggae Girlz are the best defensive 11 in the tournament, blanking all three group rivals including France and Brazil. —John Powers, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Aug. 2023

Photo of the day: Valdez throws 16th no-hitter in Astros history The Houston Astros' Framber Valdez threw the season's third no-hitter, blanking the Cleveland Guardians in a 2-0 win at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night. —USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2023

Texas blanked the Rays in Game 1 on Tuesday thanks to dominant pitching from Jordan Montgomery, who tossed seven scoreless frames. —Ryan Morik, Fox News, 4 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English blank, blaunk "white, (of a document) having empty spaces to be filled in," borrowed from Anglo-French blanc, (feminine) blanche "white, pale, bright, not written on" (also continental Old French), going back to Gallo-Romance *blanko-, borrowed from Germanic *blanka- "bright, without color" (whence Old English blanca, blonca "white horse," Old Saxon wahsblank "white as wax, dun-colored," Middle Dutch blank "light-colored [of a complexion]," Old High German blanc, blanch "pale, white [especially of horses]," Old Icelandic blakkr "pale, brownish-yellow [especially of horses]"), derivative, with infixed -n-, of *blaka-, the etymon of Old English blæc, blac "black, (of other colors) dark" — more at black entry 1

Note: G. Kroonen (Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic) takes Germanic *blanka- as a derivative of a strong verb represented by Dutch blinken "to shine" (see blink entry 1). Elsewhere Dutch blinken, English blink entry 1, blench entry 1, etc., have been taken as secondary derivatives of *blanka- (see R. Lühr, Expressivität und Lautgesetz im Germanischen [Heidelberg, 1988], pp. 96-97; A.L. Lloyd, et al., Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, vol. 2, pp. 157-58).

Noun

derivative of blank entry 1

Verb

derivative of blank entry 1 or blank entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1764, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing blank

• blank check
• blank slate
• blank line
• blank page
• blank check company
• draw a blank
• blank verse
• go blank
• point-blank
• blank stare

See More

• blank check
• blank slate
• blank line
• blank page
• blank check company
• draw a blank
• blank verse
• go blank
• point-blank
• blank stare

See More

Kids Definition

blank

1 of 3 adjective

ˈblaŋk 

1

: being without writing, printing, or marks

a blank sheet of paper

2

: having empty spaces to be filled in

a blank form

3

: having no expression

a blank look

4

: lacking variety, change, or accomplishment : empty

a blank day

5

: without exceptions : absolute sense 3

blank refusal

6

: not shaped into finished form

a blank key

blankly adverb

blankness noun

blank

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: an empty space (as on a paper)

b

: a paper with spaces for the entry of information

2

: an empty place

my mind was a blank

3

: a piece of material prepared to be made into something (as a key)

4

: a cartridge loaded with gunpowder but no bullet

blank

3 of 3 verb

1

: to keep from scoring

were blanked for eight innings

2

: to become confused

blanked out for a moment