blank

American  

[blangk] / blæŋk /

adjective

blanker, blankest

1. (of paper or other writing surface) having no marks; not written or printed on.

   a blank sheet of paper.

2. not filled in, as a printed form.

   a blank check.

3. unrelieved or unbroken by ornament, opening, decoration, etc..

   a blank wall.

4. lacking some usual or completing feature.

   An image is stamped onto a blank coin by a die.

5. (of a recording medium) containing no previously recorded information.

   She transferred all the restored data onto a blank hard drive.

   I still have a few blank CD-ROMs.

6. void of interest, variety, results, etc..

   She sometimes occupied her blank days reading detective stories.

7. showing no attention, interest, or emotion.

   a blank expression on his face.

8. disconcerted; nonplussed; speechless.

   He looked blank when I asked him why he applied for the job.

   Synonyms:

   perplexed, dumbstruck

9. complete; utter; unmitigated.

   blank stupidity.

   Synonyms:

   unqualified, absolute, perfect, unadulterated, thorough, pure, downright

10. Archaic. white; pale; colorless.

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noun

1. a place where something is lacking; an empty space.

   a blank in one's memory.

   Synonyms:

   gap, vacancy, void, hiatus, lacuna

2. a space in a printed form, test, etc., to be filled in.

   Write your name in the blank.

3. a printed form containing such spaces.

   Have you filled out one of these blanks?

4. a dash put in place of an omitted letter, series of letters, etc., especially to avoid writing a word considered profane or obscene.

5. Metalworking. a piece of metal ready to be drawn, pressed, or machined into a finished object.

6. blank cartridge.

7. Archery. the bull's-eye.

8. the object toward which anything is directed; aim; target.

verb (used with object)

1. to cross out or delete, especially in order to invalidate or void (usually followed byout ).

   to blank out an entry.

2. Informal. to keep (an opponent) from scoring in a game.

3. Metalworking. to stamp or punch out of flat stock, as with a die.

idioms

1. draw a blank,

   1. to fail in an attempt; be unsuccessful.

      We've drawn a blank in the investigation.

   2. to fail to comprehend or be unable to recollect.

      He asked me their phone number and I drew a blank.

blank British  

/ blæŋk /

adjective

1. (of a writing surface) bearing no marks; not written on

2. (of a form, etc) with spaces left for details to be filled in

3. without ornament or break; unrelieved

   a blank wall

4. not filled in; empty; void

   a blank space

5. exhibiting no interest or expression

   a blank look

6. lacking understanding; confused

   he looked blank even after the explanations

7. absolute; complete

   blank rejection

8. devoid of ideas or inspiration

   his mind went blank in the exam

9. unproductive; barren

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noun

1. an emptiness; void; blank space

2. an empty space for writing in, as on a printed form

3. a printed form containing such empty spaces

4. something characterized by incomprehension or mental confusion

   my mind went a complete blank

5. a mark, often a dash, in place of a word, esp a taboo word

6. short for blank cartridge

7. a plate or plug used to seal an aperture

8. a piece of material prepared for stamping, punching, forging, etc

9. archery the white spot in the centre of a target

10. 1. to choose a lottery ticket that fails to win

    2. to get no results from something

verb

1. (usually foll by out) to cross out, blot, or obscure

2. slang to ignore or be unresponsive towards (someone)

   the crowd blanked her for the first four numbers

3. to forge, stamp, punch, or cut (a piece of material) in preparation for forging, die-stamping, or drawing operations

4. (often foll by off) to seal (an aperture) with a plate or plug

5. informal to prevent (an opponent) from scoring in a game

blank More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing blank

• draw a blank
• fill in (the blanks)

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Related Words

See empty.

Other Word Forms

• blankly adverb
• blankness noun

Etymology

Origin of blank

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (noun and adjective) from Anglo-French, French blanc; adjective from Germanic; compare Old English blanca “white horse,” Old High German blanch “bright, white” ( German blank )

Explanation

Something that's blank is empty or undecorated. A blank canvas hasn't been drawn or painted on yet — it's clean and unmarked. A blank computer screen has no information on it, and a blank look on someone's face is completely free of any expression, revealing nothing. If your mind goes blank during a job interview, you are left without any thoughts for a moment. When blank is a noun, it means "a line to be filled in" or "an empty space." In the 1500s, a blank was the empty, white center of a target, from the French word blanc, or "white."

Example Sentences

And with the easing of the concept of the therapist as “a blank slate,” shifts have continued to occur in therapy room decor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

The listing at the time described it as a “clean, blank space” that was just waiting for an owner to put their own spin on it.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

The court is not writing on a blank slate.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

The actor stars in a solo off-Broadway show by David Cale about a playwright stumped by the blank page who finds a surprising, unsettling source of inspiration in the form of a stalker.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

She smiled but looked as blank as ever, and her tongue wound around her mouth.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• dull
• hollow
• immobile
• impassive
• lifeless
• meaningless
• vacant