leave blank

USAGE SUMMARY

"leave blank" is a valid phrase in written English used to indicate that the area or space should remain empty.
For example: Please fill out the questionnaire below and leave the salary section blank.

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

40 human-written examples

Leave blank.

Harvard University

Type custom Link Text to display or leave blank.

Stanford University

The logistics are harder because Ms. Coppleson has to leave blank spaces in the text to fill in later.

The New York Times

"On one application, there was a whole page of databases I didn't know and had to leave blank," she said.

The New York Times

About 900 miles southwest of the capital, though, the Chongqing cemetery is a reminder of what happened in the years that politicians prefer to leave blank.

The Washington Post

And this is why I decided to leave blank the final glossary of the book – there to hold the place-words that have yet to be coined.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

Most of the pages are left blank.

University of California, Berkeley

The page that says, "This page left blank on purpose"?

The New Yorker

What women thought about contraception is left blank.

The Economist

Beyond that, the dynamic of the marriage is left blank.

The New York Times - Books

Two columns were left blank on each plate.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When providing instructions, be explicit about what constitutes 'blank'. Does it mean no characters, spaces, or a specific default value?

Common error

Avoid simply stating "leave blank" without clarifying the expected behavior. For example, specify whether a field should contain a '0', 'N/A', or truly remain empty to prevent misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "leave blank" functions primarily as an imperative, instructing the user to omit filling in a specific field or section. As shown in Ludwig, it's a common way to provide clear instructions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Wiki

30%

News & Media

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "leave blank" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to instruct someone to omit filling in a specific field or section. According to Ludwig, its usage spans various contexts, including wiki pages, news articles, and academic materials, with a generally neutral to informal register. While the phrase is widely understood, it's important to provide clear guidance on what 'blank' entails to avoid ambiguity. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, clarity is key when using "leave blank" to ensure accurate information gathering or processing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

leave it empty

Similar to "leave blank" but emphasizes the resulting state of emptiness.

do not fill in

Direct instruction to avoid completing a section, common in forms.

keep empty

Focuses on maintaining the state of emptiness rather than the action of leaving something blank.

do not complete

Direct instruction to avoid finalizing or finishing a section.

omit the information

More formal and explicit, suitable for technical or official contexts.

make no entry

Formal instruction to not record or input any data.

skip this section

Instructs the user to bypass a specific part.

refrain from writing

More formal way to advise against adding any text.

keep this space clear

Highlights the need for the area to remain uncluttered or unused.

leave as is

Indicates the content should not be altered or added to.

FAQs

How do I use "leave blank" in a sentence?

You can use "leave blank" to instruct someone to omit filling in a specific field or section. For instance, "If the question does not apply to you, "leave blank"".

What is an alternative to "leave blank"?

Alternatives include "omit the information", "do not fill in", or "keep empty" depending on the context.

What does it mean to "leave blank" a field?

To "leave blank" means to not enter any information into a particular field or space. It implies that the field should remain empty.

Is it better to "leave blank" or use "N/A"?

The choice depends on the context. If the information is genuinely not applicable, "leaving it blank" might be appropriate. If you want to explicitly indicate non-applicability, use "N/A". The best approach is to follow the instructions provided.