block out

phrasal verb

blocked out; blocking out; blocks out

1

: to hide or cover something so that it cannot be seen, felt, or heard

Clouds blocked out the sun.

We put on music to block out the sound of the traffic.

2

: to force oneself not to think about (something)

He tried to block the event out.

3

: to ignore (something)

blocking out distractions

see also block entry 2 sense 2

Examples of block out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Back in her bedroom, Steiner blocked out time on her calendar, hit record on a voice memo, and started talking. —Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026

The sun is high overhead, blocked out only by numerous signs belonging to rather, uh, curious storefronts. —Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026

With the help of a custom license plate frame, Iowans could block out the college's branding and have an all-black license plate. —Emery Glover, Des Moines Register, 28 Jan. 2026

The velvet has a luxe look, and the liner blocks out every last bit of light. —Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for block out

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