blanket

American  

[blang-kit] / ˈblæŋ kɪt /

noun

1. a large, rectangular piece of soft fabric, often with bound edges, used especially for warmth as a bed covering.

2. a similar piece of fabric used as a covering for a horse, dog, etc.

3. the chief garment traditionally worn by some American Indians.

4. any extended covering or layer.

   a blanket of snow.

   Synonyms:

   coating, overlay, mantel, coat, cover

5. Printing.

   1. (in a press for offset printing) the rubber-covered cylinder to which an inked impression is transferred from the plate for transfer directly to the paper.

   2. (in a press for letterpress printing) the resilient covering on the cylinder against which the paper is pressed in printing.

6. a thick roll or strip of material for thermal insulation.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with or as with a blanket.

   wild flowers blanketing the hillside.

2. to obscure or obstruct; interfere with; overpower (usually followed byout ).

   An electrical storm blanketed out the radio program.

3. to toss (someone) in a blanket, as in fraternity hazing.

4. Nautical. (of a vessel) to take wind from the sails of (another vessel) by passing closely to windward.

adjective

1. covering or intended to cover a large group or class of things, conditions, situations, etc..

   a blanket proposal; a blanket indictment.

idioms

1. born on the wrong side of the blanket, born out of wedlock.

blanket British  

/ ˈblæŋkɪt /

noun

1. a large piece of thick cloth for use as a bed covering, animal covering, etc, enabling a person or animal to retain natural body heat

2. a concealing cover or layer, as of smoke, leaves, or snow

3. a rubber or plastic sheet wrapped round a cylinder, used in offset printing to transfer the image from the plate, stone, or forme to the paper

4. physics a layer of a fertile substance placed round the core of a nuclear reactor as a reflector or absorber and often to breed new fissionable fuel

5. (modifier) applying to or covering a wide group or variety of people, conditions, situations, etc

   blanket insurance against loss, injury, and theft

6. informal illegitimate

---

verb

1. to cover with or as if with a blanket; overlie

2. to cover a very wide area, as in a publicity campaign; give blanket coverage

3. (usually foll by out) to obscure or suppress

   the storm blanketed out the TV picture

4. nautical to prevent wind from reaching the sails of (another sailing vessel) by passing to windward of it

blanket More Idioms  

1. see security blanket; wet blanket.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unblanketed
  adjective
• blanketless
  adjective
• blanketlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of blanket

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French, equivalent to blanc white ( see blank) + -et -et

Explanation

A blanket is a large piece of material that keeps you warm when you're in bed or taking a nap on the couch. Many small children have a favorite blanket that provides not just warmth, but comfort. There is the knitted blanket on your bed, and then there's the blanket of snow that covers your yard in January. Any heavy layer can be described this way: "After a windy day, there was suddenly a blanket of leaves outside." You can use it as a verb, too: "The fog descended and began to blanket the whole town." The Old French root is blanchet, "light wool or flannel cloth," from blanc, "white" or "white cloth."

Example Sentences

This is how “Fantasy,” my sonic comfort blanket since I was a preschooler, came to be.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

After all, Albania is known to suffer from the chaos of ownership claims stemming from a messy process of privatisation at the end of 45 years of blanket nationalisation imposed by the Communist regime.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

And on top of that: fishing, boating, mineral extraction, and protection from underground toxins that could blanket Utah’s most heavily populated area and drive everyone away—not just from Box Elder, but from the state altogether.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2026

"There is a blanket of dust all day from all the mining and stone crushing," said Subhash Saini, whose brother died from what private doctors said was silicosis, an illness caused by breathing in dust.

From Barron's • May 31, 2026

He looks at me, his eyes filled with hurt, and I can’t help feeling the blanket of blame he places on me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• carpet
• cloak
• coat
• coating
• comforter
• layer
• mat
• quilt
• rug
• sheet