blackout 1 of 2

noun

ˈblak-ˌau̇t How to pronounce blackout (audio)
Definition of blackoutnext
as in daze
a temporary state of unconsciousness even though you experienced only a brief blackout, you still ought to be checked by a doctor

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black out

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to eradicate
to destroy all traces of had spent most of her adulthood trying to black out memories of a wretched childhood

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to darken
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to faint
to lose consciousness blacked out after hitting her head on the beam

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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 blackout
Noun
Under a communications blackout, a rover team that waits for its commands from Earth has to stop. — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026 Add blackout curtains, blinds, or shades to west and south-facing rooms that don’t have them. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
This curtain type is airy, casual, and gives your windows a sense of place and structure without feeling stuffy—or completely blacking out the sunshine during golden hour. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 4 Aug. 2026 Overwhelmed fans reported blacking out at the Eras Tour, all memories of the night dumped. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for blackout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackout
  1. daze
  2. eradicate
  3. darken
  4. faint
  5. trance
  6. erase
  7. dusk
  8. syncope
Noun
  • Everyone in town seemed to walk through that day in a daze; Leslie’s name was spoken in hushed whispers.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
  • Kutsuna has an impish twinkle; Yamada mutely swans about in a daze like an opium fiend.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of daze
Verb
  • Tlaib is also a prominent critic of Israel; her rhetoric has been chastised by Jewish colleagues as an antisemitic call for eradicating Jews, a charge the congresswoman and her supporters reject.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980 and no longer naturally circulates, was once one of the world's deadliest diseases.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of eradicate
Verb
  • The sky darkened suddenly, as if it had been turned down by a dimmer switch, and Decoteau frowned at a weather app on his phone.
    — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The funeral was held less than a week after her signature song served as the soundtrack at celebrations marking a total eclipse that darkened skies across parts of Europe.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of darken
Verb
  • Allegedly, so many cinema-goers vomited and fainted during the initial screenings of William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973) that theatre staff had to hand out smelling salts.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Continuing to hold their breath causes a lack of oxygen to the brain and the swimmer faints without warning.
    — Chip Alexander, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of faint
Noun
  • Though the faith and worship systems of the time are largely unknown, researchers believe this rock art may depict a group in a trance state.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • His research has included brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and trance states, as well as surveys of people's spiritual experiences and attitudes.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of trance
Verb
  • Their efforts have successfully erased half the population from public life and made Afghanistan one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a woman.
    — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But what frightened me most was not death alone, but the idea of dying before my writings reached the world—that my story would disappear with me, and that my feelings, my memories, my identity, and my human experience would be erased.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of erase
Verb
  • With minimal humidity, near-perfect clear-sky frequency and vast empty horizons, Namibia offers the kind of slow, immersive darkness that makes dusking feel less like a trend and more like a return to something ancient.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
  • The park is open from daylight to dusk for visitors and 24/7 for campers.
    — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026
Definition of dusk
Noun
  • The company also flags baseline cardiac disease, abnormal ECG, arrhythmia, prior cervical vagotomy, abnormal cervical anatomy, brain tumor or aneurysm history, head trauma, syncope, seizures and nickel allergy as unevaluated risks.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
  • Vasovagal syncope is defined by the British National Health Service as a common type of fainting caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of syncope

Browse Nearby Words

blackness
blackout
black out
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Cite this Entry

“Blackout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackout. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blackout

Nglish: Translation of blackout for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blackout

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