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
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
Claire Franken, TVLine, 6 Mar. 2025
CMEs are of particular interest to astronomers because the phenomena can cause space weather events that potentially lead to radio blackouts on Earth.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
The moon doesn’t totally black out during lunar eclipses because the Earth’s umbra shadow is not totally dark.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2025
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
As the powerful pod of black fish lay siege to the ship, the vessel faces a blackout that leaves our entire crew scrambling in the dark.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 6 Mar. 2025
CMEs are of particular interest to astronomers because the phenomena can cause space weather events that potentially lead to radio blackouts on Earth.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
Opening day for the White Sox is two weeks away and there is still no carriage agreement for the fledgling Chicago Sports Network to air on Comcast, essentially blacking out a rite of spring for 1 million pay-TV viewers in the city and suburbs.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2025
The moon doesn’t totally black out during lunar eclipses because the Earth’s umbra shadow is not totally dark.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackout
Cite this Entry
“Blackout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackout. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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