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Glite Dictionary
to blanket jam

to blanket jam

9.9
To block a wide range of radio frequencies at once so radios in an area cannot work
  • phrasal verb
  • Specialized
translation icon : interferir
  • The device is capable of blanket jamming all civilian radio frequencies within a mile radius.

Examples

  • Military forces may blanket jam enemy communications during an operation to reduce coordination.

  • To prevent interference with their own transmissions, they avoided blanket jamming the area.

  • The military decided to blanket jam the enemy's communications!

  • They will blanket jam the area during the operation.

  • During the mission, the soldiers used a tactic to blanket jam all local radio frequencies and disrupt enemy communications.

  • The new equipment can blanket jam multiple radio signals at once, ensuring that only authorized frequencies remain operational.

  • To secure their strategy, the team decided to blanket jam the entire area before advancing.

Synonyms

to jam
vsto blanket jam
  • Specialized
26 7.5

Deliberately block radio or electronic signals

targets many frequencies at once to affect an entire area
to barrage jam
vsto blanket jam
  • Specialized
9.9

To block many radio channels so signals cannot be sent or received

allows communications using directional antennas to continue

How Broad

to blanket jam
  • Specialized
9.9
barrage jamming
  • Australian
8.8
to spot jam
  • Specialized
9.1

Surface Forms

blanket jam infinitive
blanketed past
blanketed past participle
blanketing present participle
blanket jams third person singular

Morphology

blanket + jam

The meaning is transparently composed from 'blanket' (covering/comprehensive) + 'jam' (to interfere with radio reception), so a learner who knows both words can infer it means to interfere across a wide range of frequencies. The pattern mirrors common uses like 'blanket ban' and follows regular English composition, so a B1 learner would reasonably understand the general sense even if they might not grasp technical exceptions about directional antennas.

Etymology

Blanket jam may come from the image of a thick blanket thrown over something to cover and block it, with jam meaning to stop movement; imagine radio waves being covered so they cannot pass. So it means 'to block many radio signals at once', stopping normal communication in an area.