# black out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/black-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to lose consciousness suddenly for a short time. You use this when everything goes dark and you faint.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He blacked out the floor." but "He blacked out and fell on the floor." — The sense of fainting is intransitive, meaning it cannot take a direct object.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.