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
By allowing Domino’s into school cafeterias, the government also is essentially giving the company carte blanche to advertise its pizza.
—
Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
Where Israel has gotten carte blanche from Washington is with regard to the Palestinians.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2025
The advantage of creating one of the few water-cooler shows out there is that Team Severance was basically given carte blanche come season two.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025
But this does not imply that that handful ought to be granted carte blanche over the party’s entire agenda.
—The Editors, National Review, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for carte blanche
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Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025
Where Israel has gotten carte blanche from Washington is with regard to the Palestinians.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 5 June 2025
The advantage of creating one of the few water-cooler shows out there is that Team Severance was basically given carte blanche come season two.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025
But this does not imply that that handful ought to be granted carte blanche over the party’s entire agenda.
—The Editors, National Review, 20 May 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 18 Jun. 2025.
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