blueprint

noun blue·print \ -ˌprint \

|Updated on: 18 Jun 2018

Definition of blueprint

1 : a photographic print in white on a bright blue ground or blue on a white ground used especially for copying maps, mechanical drawings, and architects' plans

2 : something resembling a blueprint (as in serving as a model or providing guidance); especially : a detailed plan or program of action

a blueprint for victory

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blueprint

transitive verb

See blueprint defined for English-language learners

See blueprint defined for kids

Examples of blueprint in a Sentence

a blueprint for reforming the public school system
an ambitious young man with a remarkably detailed blueprint for becoming a millionaire by the age of 25

Recent Examples of blueprint from the Web

His incredible 2017 Netflix special, Annihilation, walks you through the stand-up’s shock and agony at his wife’s death and what’s happened to America, providing a blueprint for coping with the bleakest of times.

— anna peele, GQ, "Patton Oswalt Figured Out How to Deal with Trump," 14 June 2018
But Jones may have laid out an attractive blueprint for other owners to follow.

— joseph person, charlotteobserver, "Panthers mailbag: Why hasn't first-round pick D.J. Moore signed yet? Cause for worry?," 8 June 2018
The National Defense Authorization Act, which passed 351-66, is a blueprint that merely authorizes spending on various programs and policies and doesn't actually provide any money for the military.

— michael collins and nicole gaudiano, USA TODAY, "House passes defense bill authorizing pay raise for troops, new jets and President Trump's military parade," 24 May 2018
John did a great job of laying down the blueprint for that.

— blair kerkhoff, kansascity, "Here's a draft trend the Chiefs want to continue (hint: it involves stud rookies) | The Kansas City Star," 23 Apr. 2018
Other countries have laid a blueprint that could help the most polluted cities in Asia.

— dave levitan, Scientific American, "Ozone Pollution Grows, but It Can Be Fixed," 22 Feb. 2018
And Harbaugh quarterbacks, believe it or not, have provided a blueprint for what success looks like.

— nick baumgardner, Detroit Free Press, "If Michigan QBs return to efficiency, Jim Harbaugh's offense can reignite," 30 May 2018
In terms of the legal arguments, that 2015 lawsuit is the blueprint for the current one.

— henry gass, The Christian Science Monitor, "With dueling DACA cases, Supreme Court showdown seems inevitable," 4 May 2018
With that said, the steps below provide a blueprint for going from grass to garden.

— louisa shafia, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Need to Know About Starting a Vegetable Garden," 3 May 2018

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