Phrasal verb
black out
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
black out
Past
blacked out
Past participle
blacked out
Definition
phrasal verb. to lose consciousness suddenly for a short time. You use this when everything goes dark and you faint.
phrasal verb. to undergo a temporary loss of consciousness or memory. The verb is intransitive in this sense and typically describes a physiological reaction to trauma or substance use.
Examples
“I felt very dizzy and then I blacked out.”
“He hit his head on the doorframe and blacked out for nearly a minute before his friends helped him up.”
“Although the patient could recall the events leading up to the impact, she appeared to black out during the actual moment of the crash.”
Examples
simple
“I felt very dizzy and then I blacked out.”
contextual
“He hit his head on the doorframe and blacked out for nearly a minute before his friends helped him up.”
complex
“Although the patient could recall the events leading up to the impact, she appeared to black out during the actual moment of the crash.”
Usage
In the sense of fainting, the verb is intransitive and never takes an object.
Teaching tip
Distinguish this from the transitive sense (to black out a window or text), which means to cover something so no light or information gets through.
Pitfall
He blacked out the floor.
He blacked out and fell on the floor.
The sense of fainting is intransitive, meaning it cannot take a direct object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
black + out
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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