blanket

1 of 3

noun

blan·​ket ˈblaŋ-kət 

1

a

: a large usually oblong piece of woven fabric used as a bed covering

b

: a similar piece of fabric used as a body covering (as for an animal)

a horse blanket

2

: something that resembles a blanket

a blanket of fog

a blanket of gloom

3

: a rubber or plastic sheet on the cylinder in an offset press that transfers the image to the surface being printed

blanketlike

ˈblaŋ-kət-ˌlīk 

adjective

blanket

2 of 3

verb

blanketed; blanketing; blankets

transitive verb

1

: to cover with or as if with a blanket

new grass blankets the slope

2

a

: to cover so as to obscure, interrupt, suppress, or extinguish

blanket a fire with foam

b

: to interrupt the smooth flow of wind to (something, such as a downwind ship)

c

: to apply or cause to apply to uniformly despite wide separation or diversity among the elements included

freight rates that blanket a region

d

: to cause to be included

automatically blanketed into the program

towns blanketed into the district

blanket

3 of 3

adjective

1

: effective or applicable in all instances or contingencies

blanket rules

Traveller rights across the European Union remain unchanged despite the blanket cancellation of flights and holidays in recent weeks …

—Conor Pope

A blanket ban on all private collecting of ivory could result in the confiscation and destruction of many historically important pieces of work.

—Kit Roberts

Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, chair of African American Studies at Temple University, … remarked: "I do not think that anyone should make any blanket statements about any ethnic or cultural group without citing authoritative sources to substantiate those statements."

—Peter Noel

2

: covering all members of a group or class without individual apportionment

blanket insurance coverage

… calling for a five per cent blanket wage reduction for all city hall staffers …

—Melissa Gilligan

Synonyms

Noun

• cloak
• cope
• cover
• cover-up
• covering
• coverture
• curtain
• hood
• mantle
• mask
• pall
• penumbra
• robe
• shroud
• veil
• wraps

Verb

• carpet
• coat
• cover
• overlay
• overlie
• overspread
• sheet

Adjective

• across-the-board
• broad-brush
• common
• general
• generic
• global
• overall
• universal

Examples of blanket in a Sentence

Noun

It's going to get cold tonight so you may need extra blankets.

a blanket of fog concealed the view of the harbor

Verb

Ice was blanketing the bay.

The fields were blanketed with flowers.

Adjective

a blanket amnesty for all illegal aliens

a blanket ban on use of the chemical

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Use household items like cushions, chairs and blankets to create tunnels and weaving paths. —Lisa Bloch, The Mercury News, 17 Dec. 2024

From pillow shams to duvet covers and throw blankets, the collection allows for a quick bedroom refresh, boasting colorful patterns and softer-than-soft fabrics. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Dec. 2024

Verb

Snow could blanket the state Wednesday into Thursday as a small storm develops over northern New England. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 3 Dec. 2024

Extreme weather As frigid temperatures sweep across a large swath of the US, parts of the Great Lakes region face up to 2 feet of additional lake-effect snow through Tuesday — the latest complication for cities already blanketed by snowfall as post-Thanksgiving travel winds down. —Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Add in those warm layers with this pretty blanket scarf that can be wrapped in a bunch of different ways. —Taylor Gumm, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English blanket, blaunket "woolen cloth (usually undyed), bed covering," borrowed from Anglo-French blanchet, blaunchet, blanket "whitish, cosmetic powder made from white lead, white woolen material, bed covering" (also continental Old & Middle French blanchet, blanquet "white, white woolen fabric, sleeveless woman's garment"), from blanc "white" + -et, diminutive suffix (going back to Latin -ittus) — more at blank entry 1

Verb

derivative of blanket entry 1

Adjective

from attributive use of blanket entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing blanket

• beach blanket
• blanket chest
• blanket stitch
• pig in a blanket
• receiving blanket
• saddle blanket
• security blanket
• wet blanket

Kids Definition

blanket

1 of 3 noun

blan·​ket ˈblaŋ-kət 

1

: a large warm usually rectangular covering used for beds

2

: a covering of any kind

a horse blanket

a blanket of snow

blanket

2 of 3 verb

: to cover with or as if with a blanket

blanket

3 of 3 adjective

: covering all instances or members of a group or class

blanket approval

Legal Definition

blanket

adjective

blan·​ket

1

: covering or affecting all members of a group or class

blanket health coverage

2

: covering or affecting all situations

a blanket release of liability