carte blanche

noun

ˈkärt-ˈblänch  -ˈbläⁿsh 

plural cartes blanches ˈkärt(s)-ˈblänch  -ˈbläⁿsh 

: full discretionary (see discretion sense 3a) power

was given carte blanche to furnish the house

Did you know?

Carte blanche is much like a blank check. In French, carte means "document" and blanche means "blank," so the phrase means "blank document." English retained that literal meaning: a carte blanche was a blank document signed in advance by one party and given to the other with permission to fill in conditions later. Much like blank check, carte blanche also took on the extended meaning "complete freedom."

Examples of carte blanche in a Sentence

We gave the decorator carte blanche to furnish the house.

Recent Examples on the Web

Al-Bashir gave his protégé carte blanche to form a paramilitary group, the RSF, using militias drawn from the same Arab communities as the notorious Janjaweed. — Janine Di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026

He was given carte blanche on the physical preparation of his goalkeepers. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Indiana is offering carte blanche and at least $1 billion in funding for a new Bears stadium, in return for all the jobs and taxes an arena will generate. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026

Meanwhile, in Knoxville, major label talent scouts given carte blanche to sign artists off the red-hot radio were handing out deals. — Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, blank document

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for carte blanche

• avalanche
• blanch
• branch
• cranch
• manche
• ranch
• stanch
• tranche

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