block out

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˈblɒk ˈaʊt/
US: /ˈblɑːk ˈaʊt/

  1. To prevent light from entering a place or to cover something to protect it from light.

    1. I use curtains to block out the sun in the morning. [ ] [ ]
    2. The workers block out the windows to keep the light from disturbing the experiment. [ ] [ ]

  2. To stop yourself from thinking about something unpleasant or painful.

    1. He tried to block out the horrible memories of the accident. [ ] [ ]
    2. She attempted to block out the trauma by focusing on her work and her kids. [ ] [ ]

  3. To plan or schedule time for a specific activity.

    1. I need to block out some time to finish this project. [ ] [ ]
    2. Please block out an hour in your calendar for the meeting next week. [ ] [ ]

  4. In sports, to position yourself to prevent an opponent from reaching a particular place.

    1. The defender tried to block out the forward to prevent a shot. [ ] [ ]
    2. The center blocked out his opponent effectively, securing the rebound for his team. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

schedule hide obstruct suppress shield screen cover obscure reserve
block out noun

  1. The act of obstructing or concealing something, often light or vision.

    1. The block out was complete, and the room went dark. [ ] [ ]
    2. The successful block out by the defense prevented the score. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "block out" in English means: To prevent light from entering a place or to cover something to protect it from light., To stop yourself from thinking about something unpleasant or painful., To plan or schedule time for a specific activity., In sports, to position yourself to prevent an opponent from reaching a particular place..

The phonetic transcription of "block out" is /ˈblɒk ˈaʊt/ in British English and /ˈblɑːk ˈaʊt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "block out": schedule, hide, obstruct, suppress, shield, screen, cover, obscure, reserve.

Example usage of "block out": "I use curtains to block out the sun in the morning.". More examples on the page.