plural cartes blanches ˈkärt(s)-ˈblänch How to pronounce carte blanche (audio) -ˈbläⁿsh How to pronounce carte blanche (audio)
: full discretionary (see discretion sense 1a) 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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But here was an opportunity to basically have carte blanche. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2024 This statement intends to communicate that the Arab signatories to the Abraham Accords have not given Israel carte blanche, especially when Israel’s actions increase threats to their own security. Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2023 The weight-doesn’t-matter mantra lets manufacturers off the hook, giving them carte blanche to keep cranking out burdensome behemoths. Dario Digiulio, Outside Online, 24 Sep. 2024 While this doesn’t necessarily give carte blanche, executives view these restraints as a license to get creative. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for carte blanche 

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, blank document

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carte blanche was in 1751

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Dictionary Entries Near carte blanche

Cite this Entry

“Carte blanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carte%20blanche. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

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