blanched; blanching; blanches
: to take the color out of
Age had blanched his hair.
: such as
a
cooking
: to scald or parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin from, whiten, or stop enzymatic action in (such as food for freezing)
blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water
b
: to bleach by excluding light
blanch the leaves of a plant
c
: to make ashen or pale
fear blanches the cheek
: to become white or pale (as from shock or fear)
His face blanched with horror.
—often used figuratively to describe a reaction of shock or dismay that makes someone unwilling or reluctant to proceedCivilians also saw benefits to the system but blanched when talk then included references to $300-plus user fees.—
Dan Fales
Dan Fales… the managers of the companies blanched at the expenditures necessary to retool factories.—Charles C. Mann
Charles C. Mann
blancher
noun
Synonyms
Examples of blanch in a Sentence
Blanch the potatoes before slicing them.
a cup of blanched almonds
She blanched and remained silent when the store owner accused her of taking the money.
Recent Examples on the Web
Many Democrats blanched when Newsom proposed cuts to housing and foster youth programs in January.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024
Before they can be eaten, fava beans need to be blanched, which involves boiling water and then adding salt until the water is as salty as the ocean.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 16 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blanch 
Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024
Before they can be eaten, fava beans need to be blanched, which involves boiling water and then adding salt until the water is as salty as the ocean.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 16 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blanch
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blanch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near blanch
Cite this Entry
“Blanch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blanch. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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