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

Tune into your favorite podcast while blocking out background noise with the help of these JBL Vibe Beam 2 Bluetooth Noise-canceling Earbuds, marked down to $45. —Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026

Coaches, fitness trainers, nutritionists and mental coaches are all hired to help the athlete block out distractions and think only about their game. —Beth Herman, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026

Ask for specifics and offer a doable window, then block out time to actually do the essential parts of your responsibilities. —Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026

Professional athletes preach blocking out the noise, but doing so to this extent will be difficult. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for block out

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