Definition

1. Verb:
   • To darken completely, to make or become entirely black or dark: This refers to the action of causing an area, object, or space to lose all light, resulting in total darkness or a very dark state.
   • To lose consciousness or memory temporarily; to faint: This meaning describes a sudden, temporary loss of consciousness or the inability to remember a period of time.
   • To suppress or censor information, especially by obscuring text or images: This usage involves deliberately covering, hiding, or removing information to prevent it from being seen or known.

Usage Examples

• Verb (to darken completely):
  • During the air raid, we had to blacken out all the windows.
  • A sudden storm caused the sky to blacken out in the middle of the day.
• Verb (to lose consciousness/memory):
  • The boxer was hit so hard he blackened out for a few seconds.
  • I blackened out after the accident and don't remember the drive to the hospital.
• Verb (to censor/suppress):
  • The government ordered the newspaper to blacken out the sensitive paragraphs in the article.
  • For privacy, they blackened out the names on the leaked document.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Operational Context: In aviation or military contexts, "blacken out" can describe a pilot experiencing temporary loss of vision and consciousness due to extreme gravitational forces (G-force induced loss of consciousness).
  • The intense maneuver caused the pilot to nearly blacken out.
• Figurative Use for Memory: Used metaphorically to describe a complete mental block or the intentional forgetting of a traumatic event.
  • My mind just blackened out that entire painful year.

Variants and Related Words

• Blackout (noun): A period of darkness caused by a failure of electrical power; a temporary loss of consciousness or memory; an act of censorship.
  • The city experienced a widespread blackout last night.
  • He had a total blackout and couldn't recall his actions.

Synonyms

• Darken: To make or become dark.
• Obliterate: To remove or destroy completely so as to leave no trace (often for information).
• Faint: To lose consciousness temporarily.
• Censor: To examine and suppress unacceptable parts of (a book, film, etc.).
• Suppress: To prevent from being disclosed or published.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Black out: This is the standard phrasal verb form. "Blacken out" is a less common variant with the same core meanings.
  • Please black out that confidential information before sharing the file.
  • I think I'm going to black out if I stand up too fast.

Related Idioms

• Draw a blank: To fail to get an answer or result; to be unable to remember something. (Related to the memory-loss sense).
  • I tried to remember his name, but I just drew a blank.
• Go dark: To cease all communication or visibility. (Related to the darkness/censorship sense).
  • The spy agency told the operative to go dark for a week.

Verb

1. darken completely
   • The dining room blackened out