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]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

draw a blank

When I draw a blank, I don’t ask it to fill in the gap for me.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

This is why, whenever anyone asks me about favorite family dishes, I usually draw a blank and ask if Pepperidge Farm cookies count as a response.

From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2023

Yet if you asked the average festival visitor to identify Stanley Nelson, you’d likely draw a blank.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2019

Around here, discerning diners can rattle off names of chefs and even pastry chefs from the top mainstream restaurants, but when it comes to great ramen or pho, most draw a blank.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 1, 2018

And in the silence, of course, you can hear a pin drop. draw a blank.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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