1
a
: a large usually oblong piece of woven fabric used as a bed covering
b
: a similar piece of fabric used as a body covering (as for an animal)
a horse blanket
2
: something that resembles a blanket
a blanket of fog
a blanket of gloom
3
: a rubber or plastic sheet on the cylinder in an offset press that transfers the image to the surface being printed
blanketed; blanketing; blankets
1
: to cover with or as if with a blanket
new grass blankets the slope
2
a
: to cover so as to obscure, interrupt, suppress, or extinguish
blanket a fire with foam
b
: to interrupt the smooth flow of wind to (something, such as a downwind ship)
c
: to apply or cause to apply to uniformly despite wide separation or diversity among the elements included
freight rates that blanket a region
d
: to cause to be included
automatically blanketed into the program
towns blanketed into the district
1
: effective or applicable in all instances or contingencies
blanket rules
Traveller rights across the European Union remain unchanged despite the blanket cancellation of flights and holidays in recent weeks …—
Conor Pope
Conor PopeA blanket ban on all private collecting of ivory could result in the confiscation and destruction of many historically important pieces of work.—Kit Roberts
Kit RobertsDr. Molefi Kete Asante, chair of African American Studies at Temple University, … remarked: "I do not think that anyone should make any blanket statements about any ethnic or cultural group without citing authoritative sources to substantiate those statements."—Peter Noel
Peter Noel2
: covering all members of a group or class without individual apportionment
blanket insurance coverage
… calling for a five per cent blanket wage reduction for all city hall staffers …—Melissa Gilligan
Melissa GilliganSynonyms
Examples of blanket in a Sentence
Noun
It's going to get cold tonight so you may need extra blankets.
a blanket of fog concealed the view of the harbor
Verb
Ice was blanketing the bay.
The fields were blanketed with flowers.
Adjective
a blanket amnesty for all illegal aliens
a blanket ban on use of the chemical
Recent Examples on the WebJacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 17 Apr. 2024
Ochoa-Lopez’s body was wrapped in a blanket and plastic bag before it was dumped in a garbage can, according to WLS.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blanket 
Noun
Elliott suggests packing things such as an emergency blanket, which is lightweight and reduces heat loss.
—Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 17 Apr. 2024
Ochoa-Lopez’s body was wrapped in a blanket and plastic bag before it was dumped in a garbage can, according to WLS.
—Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blanket
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blanket.' 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 blanket
Cite this Entry
“Blanket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blanket. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
blanket
1 of 3 noun
blan·ket
ˈblaŋ-kət 
1
: a large warm usually rectangular covering used for beds
2
: a covering of any kind
a horse blanket
a blanket of snow
blanket
2 of 3 verb
: to cover with or as if with a blanket
blanket
3 of 3 adjective
: covering all instances or members of a group or class
blanket approval
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