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blanch

verb
\ ˈblanch How to pronounce blanch (audio) \
blanched; blanching; blanches

Definition of blanch

transitive verb

: 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

intransitive verb

: 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 proceed Civilians also saw benefits to the system but blanched when talk then included references to $300-plus user fees.— Dan Fales… the managers of the companies blanched at the expenditures necessary to retool factories.— Charles C. Mann
Other Words from blanch Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about blanch

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Other Words from blanch

blancher noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for blanch

Synonyms

bleach, blench, decolorize, dull, fade, pale, snow, wash out, whiten

Antonyms

darken, deepen, embrown

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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Players blanched at Patricia’s methods of coaching, the team got off to a horrible start on the field and Patricia spent the offseason re-evaluating his approach and the players on his roster. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Bob Quinn: Lions will make 'great progress' in Year 2 under Matt Patricia," 29 Aug. 2019 Any other studio would have blanched at the enormous price tag McKay sought for Vice: $60 million? — Kyle Smith, National Review, "Vice Producer Going Bankrupt," 12 Aug. 2019 Blanch kernels cut from the ears, too; blanch the whole ears for about 4 minutes, cool immediately, then cut the kernels from the ears. — Robin Mather, chicagotribune.com, "Sweet corn season: How to choose, cook and preserve the newest varieties," 26 July 2019 Add blanched herbs, cheeses, remaining 3 Tbsp oil, and ½ tsp salt and puree, adding 1 to 2 Tbsp pasta cooking water as necessary to help blend until very smooth. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Mint and Walnut Pesto Lasagna Noodles," 29 Apr. 2019 Variations Macadamia/cashew/almond Replace 2 cups of the rice with 2 cups unsalted macadamia nuts, cashews, or blanched almonds. — Los Angeles Times, "The best horchata is made with Mexican-grown rice," 14 Aug. 2019 At Holkham the Leicesters are determined to challenge the Downton Abbey stereotype; Lord Grantham would blanch at the scale of the commercial operation, which includes a wedding venue, a restaurant, and an RV park by the sea. — Simon Usborne, Town & Country, "How Rumors of a Feud Between Kate Middleton and Rose Cholmondeley Captivated a Posh Corner of Britain," 5 Aug. 2019 Repeat the procedure with the asparagus, blanching for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness. — Michael Gardiner, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Chef’s guidance in foraging leads the way to tasty culinary discoveries," 25 June 2019 What to cook: To tame a bunch of nettles, blanch the greens in a pot of boiling water, or sauté them for just a minute or two. — Noelle Carter, latimes.com, "Polenta, frittata and more great recipes for stinging nettles, now in season," 9 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blanch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of blanch

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for blanch

Middle English blaunchen, from Anglo-French blanchir, from blanc, adjective, white — more at blank

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More Definitions for blanch

blanch

verb
How to pronounce blanch (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of blanch

: to put (food items) in boiling water or steam for a short time
: to suddenly have less color in your face because you are afraid, embarrassed, etc.

See the full definition for blanch in the English Language Learners Dictionary

blanch

verb
\ ˈblanch How to pronounce blanch (audio) \
blanched; blanching

Kids Definition of blanch

1 : bleach entry 1, whiten
2 : to scald so as to remove the skin from Blanch the tomatoes.
3 : to turn pale Sickened by the news, I blanched and turned away.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blanch

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with blanch

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for blanch

Spanish Central: Translation of blanch

Nglish: Translation of blanch for Spanish Speakers

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