carte blanche
noun
plural cartes blanches
ˈkärt(s)-ˈblänch 
-ˈbläⁿsh
-ˈbläⁿsh
: full discretionary (see discretion sense 1a) power
was given carte blanche to furnish the house
Did you know?
Carte blanche is much like a blank check. In French, carte means "document" and blanche means "blank," so the phrase means "blank document." English retained that literal meaning: a carte blanche was a blank document signed in advance by one party and given to the other with permission to fill in conditions later. Much like blank check, carte blanche also took on the extended meaning "complete freedom."
Examples of carte blanche in a Sentence
We gave the decorator carte blanche to furnish the house.
Recent Examples on the Web
After years of false starts, Netflix finally greenlit the series and gave the two filmmakers carte blanche.
—
Huntley Woods, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2025
In our view, ADU advocates should be open to reasonable conditions, but the city shouldn’t give aldermen carte blanche to wholesale bar the construction of granny flats.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Under this reading of agency authority, the government has carte blanche to evade the limits Congress imposed on the Executive's discretionary authority over adjustments to LPR status and to circumvent the procedures Congress mandated for recission of such adjustments.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025
Something to remember as the current administration continues to give carte blanche to big tech companies.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for carte blanche
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Huntley Woods, EW.com, 9 Aug. 2025
In our view, ADU advocates should be open to reasonable conditions, but the city shouldn’t give aldermen carte blanche to wholesale bar the construction of granny flats.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Under this reading of agency authority, the government has carte blanche to evade the limits Congress imposed on the Executive's discretionary authority over adjustments to LPR status and to circumvent the procedures Congress mandated for recission of such adjustments.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025
Something to remember as the current administration continues to give carte blanche to big tech companies.
—Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for carte blanche
Cite this Entry
“Carte blanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carte%20blanche. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share