SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
carte blanche
noun
Broad freedom or authority to act as one chooses.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Freedom to act
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topBlank check is often figurative and can imply risky freedom; carte blanche concerns authorization to act.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See carte blanche in use
The director gave the set designer carte blanche to transform the stage.
The founders gave a tool-exchange coordinator carte blanche to design the service within a fixed opening budget, allowing her to choose its hours, layout, and procedures.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license