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Synonyms

draw a blank

Idioms  

  1. Fail to find or remember something, as in He looks familiar but I've drawn a blank on his name. This expression alludes to drawing a lottery ticket with nothing on it (so one cannot win a prize). [Early 1800s]

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.

Essex Police launched Operation Century to find their killers but drew a blank.

From BBC

But after missing several big chances at Newcastle, Haaland drew a blank again, fluffing his lines with a poor touch that allowed Flekken to save when he should have hit the target.

From Barron's

Celtic failed to score for the fifth time in 12 games this season - the same number in which they drew a blank in the entirety of last season.

From BBC

The Foxes were more competitive under Cooper - who sacrificed his beliefs to try to find a way to survive - and they drew a blank just once in his 12 Premier League games.

From BBC

Forensic investigators obtained a full DNA profile from blood found on the bin-bags, but as she had never been in trouble before checks on police databases drew a blank.

From BBC

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.