go blank
idiom
1
: to suddenly stop showing letters, images, etc.
The screen on my computer went blank.
2
: to be unable to recall or think of something
My mind went blank when I heard the question.
Examples of go blank in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s some lady in New York who can help name your kid; people apparently go blank on their third.
—
Raven Smith, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Transient unresponsiveness Sometimes people with neurological problems go blank for a few seconds, and then return to their normal selves with no recollection of what just happened.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Her face would go blank for a few seconds and then flash alive with intense confusion, followed by terror.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024
Now, the company has had to recall its first batch of BEVs due to a bug that can cause the car's display to go blank, taking out the speedo and warning lights in the process.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 25 May 2023
Let your mind go blank.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2023
Tesla has recalled 129,960 cars because of CPU issues that could cause the vehicle's touchscreen to lag or go blank.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 11 May 2022
The brief disruption comes after Amazon’s issues last week took many businesses and services offline, causing Roomba vacuum cleaners to stop working and popular streaming services to go blank.
—Joseph Pisani, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2021
The instrument cluster may intermittently go blank while the vehicle is in motion.
—Detroit Free Press, 21 Aug. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Raven Smith, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Transient unresponsiveness Sometimes people with neurological problems go blank for a few seconds, and then return to their normal selves with no recollection of what just happened.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Her face would go blank for a few seconds and then flash alive with intense confusion, followed by terror.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024
Now, the company has had to recall its first batch of BEVs due to a bug that can cause the car's display to go blank, taking out the speedo and warning lights in the process.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 25 May 2023
Let your mind go blank.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2023
Tesla has recalled 129,960 cars because of CPU issues that could cause the vehicle's touchscreen to lag or go blank.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 11 May 2022
The brief disruption comes after Amazon’s issues last week took many businesses and services offline, causing Roomba vacuum cleaners to stop working and popular streaming services to go blank.
—Joseph Pisani, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2021
The instrument cluster may intermittently go blank while the vehicle is in motion.
—Detroit Free Press, 21 Aug. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Go blank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go%20blank. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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