blackout

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'blackout' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a period of time during which electricity is shut off, a collapse or loss of consciousness due to extreme excitement or emotion, or a suppression or censorship of written material. For example, "The city was plunged into darkness during the intense blackout."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Lynch went on to emphasize "this wasn't a mere deletion of a few words but a full-fledged blackout of 28 pages of the report".

The Guardian

That's more than the blackout or Superbowl!" She concluded with the infuriating modern spin on put-that-in-your-pipe-and-smoke-it: "#fact".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A landmark in this targeting of media independence was reached with the blackout implemented by the media itself on the story of 34 Kurdish villagers killed by Turkish fighter jets in the Iraqi border village of Uludere/Roboski in late 2011.

The Guardian - Opinion

That's more than the blackout or Superbowl!

The Guardian - Lifestyle

On 11 November there was a blackout in part of Amiens when a power station was attacked – to the alarm of the police, this was to become a common and effective tactic.

The Guardian

"I had a blackout, I'm sorry".

The Guardian - Sport

Sensors installed throughout the network send data about local grid conditions to a central computer, 30 times a second.Dr Taylor credits this system with preventing another big blackout in his region, and says his counterparts in America's north-east could have avoided last year's blackout if they had had such a system.

The Economist

The social network for professionals has seen its share price rise by 200% since its IPO in 2011.Who owns the programmes Time Warner Cable ended its blackout of CBS channels in several American cities, including New York, after the two sides resolved a dispute over rights.

The Economist

The investigation into last year's North American blackout revealed that during the precious minutes following the first outages in Ohio, when action might have been taken to prevent the blackout spreading, the local utility's managers had to ask the regional system operator by phone what was happening on their own wires.

The Economist

And there are lots of other deterrents, too, from red tape to erratic electricity (see, for example, the monumental blackout across north and east India in 2012), a lack of land, bad roads and busy ports.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

As the state's energy minister, he made sure that blackout-free electricity reached even the most rustic quarters of his constituency.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In medical contexts, clarify the cause and duration of the "blackout" for better understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "blackout" vaguely; specify whether you're referring to a power outage, memory loss, or information suppression to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "blackout" is as a noun, referring to a temporary loss of consciousness, memory, or electrical power. It can also describe the suppression of information, as seen in examples provided by Ludwig. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "blackout" is a versatile noun with multiple meanings, including a loss of power, consciousness, memory, or information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used. Its frequency is high across various contexts, particularly in news and media, as well as formal business settings. While generally neutral in tone, its specific meaning should be clarified to avoid ambiguity. Consider using alternatives like ""power outage"", "loss of consciousness", or ""news embargo"" depending on the intended meaning for more precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

power outage

Focuses specifically on the loss of electrical power.

power failure

Similar to power outage but emphasizes the system's malfunction.

loss of consciousness

Highlights the medical aspect of losing awareness.

brownout

Describes a partial reduction or temporary drop in voltage in an electrical power supply.

memory lapse

Emphasizes a temporary failure in memory recall.

fainting spell

Describes a brief episode of losing consciousness.

news embargo

Refers to a deliberate suppression of news or information.

information suppression

Specifically describes the act of withholding information.

lights out

An informal way to describe the absence of light or electricity.

censorship

Focuses on the deliberate suppression of content.

FAQs

How can I use "blackout" in a sentence?

You can use "blackout" to describe a power outage, as in, "The city experienced a complete "power outage"." It can also refer to memory loss, such as, "He had a "memory lapse" after the accident" or information suppression: "The government imposed a "news embargo" on the sensitive issue".

What's the difference between "blackout" and "power outage"?

"Blackout" is a more general term that can refer to a loss of power, memory, or information. "Power outage" specifically refers to a loss of electrical power.

What can I say instead of "blackout" when referring to a loss of consciousness?

Alternatives include "loss of consciousness", "fainting spell", or ""memory lapse"", depending on the specific context and cause.

Is it correct to use "blackout" to describe censorship?

Yes, "blackout" can be used to describe censorship or the suppression of information, especially in news or media. Other alternatives are "censorship", "information suppression", or ""news embargo"".