Meaning & use

whiteout

noun·Academic

A blizzard condition in which snow, fog, and cloud merge to blot out visible landmarks and the horizon.

See it in a sentence

The climbers were forced to stop and wait out a sudden whiteout on the ridge.

Blowing snow created a whiteout on the highway, and police closed the road for hours.

A note on using this word

Whiteout describes the total loss of visual depth and contrast in snow or fog, distinct from a general 'snowstorm', which need not affect visibility.

Words with a similar meaning

blizzardsnowstorm

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A white correction fluid used to paint over mistakes in text before writing over them.

She dabbed whiteout on the typo and retyped the correct word.

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