# blanket

/ˈbɫæŋkət/ (US) · /blˈæŋkɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/blanket
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. bedding

noun · CEFR A2

a large piece of thick cloth that you use on a bed to keep warm.

For teachers: a large piece of typically woollen or synthetic fabric used as a bed covering for thermal insulation.

- It was a cold night, so I put an extra blanket on the bed.
- The hotel provides woollen blankets in the wardrobe for guests who prefer traditional bedding over the standard synthetic duvets.

### 2. a covering layer

noun · CEFR B1

a thick layer of something that covers the ground or an area.

For teachers: a thick, uniform layer of a substance that covers a surface or landscape.

- A thick blanket of snow covered the fields and the trees.
- By dawn, a heavy blanket of fog had settled over the valley, reducing visibility to less than ten metres for morning commuters.

### 3. applying to everything

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something that covers all cases or people without any exceptions.

For teachers: applying to all conditions, instances, or members of a group; used attributively before a noun.

- The company has a blanket ban on smoking anywhere in the building.
- The regulator issued a blanket warning to all financial institutions regarding the increased risk of sophisticated phishing attacks during the holiday season.

Usage: Always used before a noun.

### 4. to cover completely

verb · CEFR B2

to cover an area with a thick layer of something.

For teachers: to cover a surface or area with a uniform layer; often used in the passive voice.

- The volcanic ash started to blanket the nearby villages.
- The marketing campaign was designed to blanket the city with advertisements, ensuring that every resident would encounter the brand at least once.

## Examples

- She pulled the wool blanket over her shoulders to stay warm.
- The hotel provides an extra blanket in the closet for guests who feel cold during the night.
- A heavy blanket of fog descended upon the valley, obscuring the mountain peaks and reducing visibility to just a few meters for the morning commuters.

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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.