blacking out

Definition of blacking outnext
present participle of black out
1
2
as in darkening
to grow dark with the delivery of the knockout punch, the screen blacks out, and in the next scene the boxer wakes up in the hospital

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in fainting
to lose consciousness blacked out after hitting her head on the beam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of blacking out Ryan Gosling headlines Miller and Phil Lord’s film adaption of Andy Weir’s 2021 book of the same name, which centers on a school teacher turned astronaut tasked with stopping a mysterious entity from blacking out the sun. Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026 Any new rules and regulations proposed by the FCC that restrict leagues from paywalling, locally blacking out or spreading live sports content across numerous channels and apps could be challenged in court. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Mar. 2026 In Singapore 2023, Williams driver Logan Sargeant retired from the race due to the extreme conditions, while Lance Stroll collapsed by his car after the race, near blacking out in high-speed corners. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025 Just half a year earlier, in March 2024, a landslide in the Trou sans Fond had ruptured all three cables, throttling or even blacking out the internet in Côte d’Ivoire and 12 other countries. Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025 The last thing Ameilia Boodoosingh Gopie remembers before blacking out on the delivery table is holding her daughter, Allana, for the first time. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025 The other major station group blacking out Kimmel, Nexstar, did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment about its plans. Dan Heching, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025 Taxes are rising, the economy is faltering, the power grid is blacking out, energy prices are skyrocketing, violent crime is rampant and unaudited non-profit funding in the billions creates the appearance of mismanagement at the best and corruption at the worst. Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 17 Aug. 2025 Female victims were also more likely to report blacking out, with 74% reporting blacking out, compared to 51% of male victims, according to the study. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blacking out
Verb
  • The lawsuit, filed March 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims the plan for eradicating the deer, which have roamed the island for 100 years, was wrongfully approved by the state and needs an environmental review.
    Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Maybe the Clyborns made their money by developing vaccines and eradicating diseases around the world.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Sweep sidewalks regularly to keep dirt and debris from building up and darkening the color.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The lens darkening is a boon, though, as turning on the tint makes the image really pop against the dark background.
    Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • After weeks of inactivity on the fainting front, Whoopi Goldberg has officially collapsed on The View once again.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026
  • Staff described students being unable to focus, becoming dizzy and even fainting.
    Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As many historical figures’ controversial legacies have become mainstream so has erasing their presence from the public eye.
    Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
  • During his time working for Epstein, Indyke was implicated in emails about erasing hard drives, and FBI interviews show that Epstein referred victims to Indyke in the event they were contacted by law enforcement, according to Department of Justice documents.
    Ava Berger, NPR, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This problem isn’t isolated to Rolla – child care providers are closing in other rural areas.
    Beth Kania-Gosche, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Vanderbilt leads by five and is slowly closing in on its first NCAA Tournament win in 14 years.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The above begins with Chelsea passing out from the back.
    Beren Cross, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The trio of vocalists razzle-dazzle like Tim Hardaway (who is namechecked in the song) in his Golden State Warriors prime, passing out rhymes on what plays out like a three-minute fast break.
    Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The National Women’s Soccer League announced a new CBA in the summer of 2024 that included giving players agency on where they are traded and abolishing expansion and collegiate drafts.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Stratton cast herself as the most progressive choice, supporting policies such as a $25 minimum wage and abolishing ICE, and managed to overcome a significant financial disadvantage.
    Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Sloshing out from the inaccessible hearts of collapsing stars and from the tumultuous spacetime churnings of merging black holes and neutron stars, gravitational waves provide deep, fundamental insights about these faraway astrophysical systems that are otherwise unavailable.
    K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
  • This one shows Peter Parker, out of costume, collapsing.
    Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blacking out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blacking%20out. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

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