as in free hand
permission to do something in any way you choose to do it
We gave the decorator carte blanche to furnish the house.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 carte blanche
Crave, the Canadian streamer behind his breakout hit, gave him carte blanche to adapt the second novel in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, six unabashedly horny romances set in the world of men’s professional ice hockey.
—
Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Yet despite horrific incident after horrific incident, AI companies retain carte blanche to sell products with zero meaningful safety standards or oversight.
—Michael Kleinman, Time, 22 Nov. 2025
Give whoever replaces Grier carte blanche, complete freedom, a blank slate, to do whatever the person desires with the organization.
—Omar Kelly
october 31, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
For his New York program, Japan Society offered Hasumi carte blanche — a rare honor previously extended to figures such as Susan Sontag and art photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carte blanche
Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Yet despite horrific incident after horrific incident, AI companies retain carte blanche to sell products with zero meaningful safety standards or oversight.
—Michael Kleinman, Time, 22 Nov. 2025
Give whoever replaces Grier carte blanche, complete freedom, a blank slate, to do whatever the person desires with the organization.
—Omar Kelly
october 31, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
For his New York program, Japan Society offered Hasumi carte blanche — a rare honor previously extended to figures such as Susan Sontag and art photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carte blanche
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carte blanche
Noun
-
The 5-foot-7 junior showed slick moves to the basket and a nice shooting touch, aided by the referees’ unwillingness to whistle her for using her free hand to ward off defenders.—
Tris Wykes,
Twin Cities,
31 Jan. 2026
-
In the footage, Wang is moving slowly and supporting the child’s head and neck with his free hand.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Taxpayer money is not a blank check to grow bureaucracy.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Still, Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen won’t have the same blank check as the Patriots to bolster the roster.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Carte blanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carte%20blanche. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
