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Glite Dictionary
to blacken out

to blacken out

6.0
To make a place or screen completely dark so no light shows
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈblækən aʊt/
translation icon : oscurecer
  • Please blacken out the lights before the movie starts!

Examples

  • They used heavy curtains to blacken out the windows during the storm.

  • They blackened out the windows for privacy.

  • A sudden power failure blackened out the entire building.

  • The old film reel blackened out just before the final scene.

  • The artist decided to blacken out the background to make the colors pop.

  • During the blackout, we had to blacken out the windows to keep the light from entering.

  • To enhance the dramatic effect, he blackened out the scene before the final reveal.

Synonyms

to darken
vsto blacken out
63 3.3

Make or become less bright, for example a room

implies complete darkness rather than just a reduction in brightness
to block out
vsto blacken out
38 4.0

To stop yourself remembering or noticing something unpleasant

focuses on complete removal of light so no light is visible
to turn off the light
vsto blacken out
37 1.0

To switch a light so it stops shining

covers any method to make something fully dark, not only switching lights
to blacken
vsto blacken out
19 3.4

To make something dark or to become dark, for example walls after a fire

means making something fully dark so absolutely no light shows
to black out
vsto blacken out
10 3.9

To make a place completely dark by turning off or covering lights

is used for making any object or area fully dark with no light visible
blotted out
vsto blacken out
7.4

Completely covered or removed so nothing remains

refers to making an area totally dark rather than erasing or destroying

Antonyms

to illuminate
52 4.1

To make something bright or visible with light

to brighten
5 2.1

To become less cloudy with more light

How Dark

to blacken out
6.0
to darken
63 3.3
to dim
12 2.4

Surface Forms

blacken out infinitive
blackened out past
blackened out past participle
blackening out present participle
blackens out third person singular

Morphology

blacken + out

The meaning 'to make something completely dark' is directly derived from combining 'blacken' (to make black) with the particle 'out', which adds a completive/extinguishing sense. This verb+particle composition is predictable and follows standard English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Blacken out comes from the simple image of blacken + out: covering windows or screens with dark cloth so no light can get in. So, it means 'to make something completely dark so that no light is visible'.