black·out
ˈblak-ˌau̇t 
1
a
: a turning off of the stage lighting to separate scenes in a play or end a play or skit
also
: a skit that ends with a blackout
b
: a period of darkness enforced as a precaution against air raids
c
: a period of darkness (as in a city) caused by a failure of electrical power
2
: a transient dulling or loss of vision, consciousness, or memory
an alcoholic blackout
3
a
: a wiping out : obliteration
b
: a blotting out by censorship : suppression
a news blackout
4
: a usually temporary loss of a radio signal
5
: the prohibition or restriction of the telecasting of a sports event
6
: a time during which a special commercial offer (as of tickets) is not valid
—usually used attributively
blackout dates
blacked out; blacking out; blacks out
1
2
: to envelop in darkness
black out the stage
3
: to make inoperative (as by a power failure)
4
: to impose a blackout on
blacked out the local game
1
: to become enveloped in darkness
2
: to undergo a temporary loss of vision, consciousness, or memory
Synonyms
Examples of blackout in a Sentence
Noun
the blackouts of World War II
She keeps flashlights and candles handy in case of a blackout.
He told his doctor he had been experiencing blackouts.
Verb
had spent most of her adulthood trying to black out memories of a wretched childhood
with the delivery of the knockout punch, the screen blacks out, and in the next scene the boxer wakes up in the hospital
Recent Examples on the Web
Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
This marked yet another setback for Cuba, already grappling with widespread blackouts and still recovering from a hurricane two weeks prior that left at least six people dead in the island's eastern region.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024
In August 2020, the state experienced two consecutive days of rotating power outages, with some areas blacked out up to 2 1/2 hours.
—Rob Nikolewski, The Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blackout 
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.
Noun
Cuba's energy grid suffers a complete blackout after Hurricane Rafael made landfall.
—Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
This marked yet another setback for Cuba, already grappling with widespread blackouts and still recovering from a hurricane two weeks prior that left at least six people dead in the island's eastern region.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
For the Russia release, the producers received requests to black out a scene where Strong, as Cohn, participates in a gay orgy.
—Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Nov. 2024
In August 2020, the state experienced two consecutive days of rotating power outages, with some areas blacked out up to 2 1/2 hours.
—Rob Nikolewski, The Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blackout
Dictionary Entries Near blackout
Cite this Entry
“Blackout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackout. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
blackout
noun
black·out
ˈblak-ˌau̇t
1
: a period when lights are kept off to guard against enemy airplane attack in a war
2
: a period when lights are off as a result of an electrical power failure
3
: a temporary dulling or loss of vision or consciousness
black out
verb
-ˈau̇t
Medical Definition
blackout
1 of 2 noun
black·out
ˈblak-ˌau̇t
black out
2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to cause to black out
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share