carte blanche
Say it: kart BLONSH /ˌkɑːt ˈblɒ̃ʃ/ · noun phrase
What “carte blanche” means
Complete freedom to decide what to do.
More precisely: Complete freedom to act as you think best.
Example: “The new director was given carte blanche to redesign the brand.”
When to use it
Use it when someone is trusted to act without restrictions or further permission. It sounds fairly formal, especially at work.
Memory trick
French for “blank paper”: imagine being handed a page to fill however you choose.
Similar words
free rein, free hand, blank cheque
Where it comes from
French, 'blank paper'.
Quick check
Your boss lets you choose every detail of the new office, with no restrictions or further approval. You've been given…
carte blanche or a detailed brief?
Show the answer
carte blanche
Learn 5 new words a day in Kinquire. Each with a picture, how to say it, an example and a quick check, then spaced review so you actually keep them. Free to start.
Learn “carte blanche”