blot out

Idioms

Obliterate, wipe out of existence or memory, as in At least one Indian nation was blotted out as the pioneers moved west, or The trauma of the accident blotted out all her memory of recent events. This idiom, first recorded in 1516, uses the verb to blot in the sense of making something illegible by spotting or staining it with ink. The New Testament has it (Acts 3:19): “Repent ye ... that your sins may be blotted out.”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That did not blot out the fear in many fields that raids could happen at any moment.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025

As the moon prepares to blot out the surface of our sun in two weeks, it’s warming up with a penumbral lunar eclipse on Sunday night or Monday morning, depending on your time zone.

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2024

As the moon lines up precisely between Earth and the sun, it will blot out all but the sun’s outer rim.

From Washington Times • Oct. 10, 2023

The smoke was starting to blot out the sun.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 14, 2023

The amount of soot and floating ash from the impact and following fires would blot out the sun, certainly for months, possibly for years, disrupting growing cycles.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

blot out

Example Sentences

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