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
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Dec. 2024
The extension was intended to ease California’s transition to green power and alleviate blackouts during periods of extreme heat, but now comes at a time when the energy demands of artificial intelligence and data centers are rapidly growing.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024
However, blacking out for an entire eight-round fight is concerning.
—James Brizuela, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blackout 
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Noun
Jettisoning the corpses quickly meant we were spared the sight of dead people awkwardly rising and walking offstage during the blackouts between scenes.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 Dec. 2024
The extension was intended to ease California’s transition to green power and alleviate blackouts during periods of extreme heat, but now comes at a time when the energy demands of artificial intelligence and data centers are rapidly growing.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
During the Season 9 reunion, Rose revealed his drinking had gotten out of control and was blacked out during BravoCon 2023.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 5 Dec. 2024
However, blacking out for an entire eight-round fight is concerning.
—James Brizuela, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 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 30 Dec. 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
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