brownout

noun brown·out \ ˈbrau̇-ˌnau̇t \

|Updated on: 3 Jun 2018

Definition of brownout

: a period of reduced voltage of electricity caused especially by high demand and resulting in reduced illumination

See brownout defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of brownout from the Web

The freeze prompted rolling power brownouts and school and business closings in the D.C. area.

— kevin ambrose, Washington Post, "Historical photos of unparalleled polar vortex outbreaks in D.C.," 4 Jan. 2018
That means that North Korea earned more hard currency but had less power for its people, potentially exacerbating shortages that regular visitors say have caused increasingly severe brownouts in recent months.

— jeremy page, WSJ, "North Korea Is Making Millions of Dollars Selling Power to China," 16 Mar. 2018
The few brownouts that have occurred were weather related.

— mary ellen klas, miamiherald, "Voter proposal would end electricity monopolies and create choice," 11 Jan. 2018
The latter category often comes down to MoviePass inadequately keeping up with its scale; Lowe says that demand for Black Panther tickets the first two weekends overwhelmed its system, leading to brownouts and slower response times in the app.

— brian barrett, WIRED, "As MoviePass Explodes, Its Growing Pains Hurt Subscribers," 7 Mar. 2018
Higher electricity costs and brownouts were likely.

— the editorial board, WSJ, "Pruitt’s Clean Power Break," 8 Oct. 2017
On the same day, though, brownouts in Baghdad left millions without power, showing the government’s limited capacity to provide public services to its people.

— ben kesling, WSJ, "With ISIS on the Run, an Unexpected Leader Emerges in Iraq," 2 July 2017
Buy now: Apple AirPods, $160, Apple Belkin Belkin SurgePlus USB Swivel Charger Everyone needs extra plugs, and surge protection can be a gadget-saver in case of split-second brownouts (minor dips in power) or unexpected electricity spikes.

— lisa eadicicco, Time, "15 Gadgets That Every Student Needs," 25 Aug. 2017
These prime venues will experience an otherworldly brownout, while the rest of Americans will see only a partial eclipse.

— CNT, "Where to Be When the Moon Eclipses the Sun," 4 Aug. 2017

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