Standard Lemma guide

brownout

noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: B R AW1 N AW2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A period of low alternating current line voltage, causing a reduction in illumination.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics

Examples

  • When demand for electricity exceeds the available supply, a brownout occurs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dimout

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A temporary dimming of vision, usually with a brown hue and accompanied by loss of peripheral vision or tunnel vision.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • On rising suddenly from her chair she experienced a brownout and had to sit down again quickly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: grayout, greyout

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A temporary closing of a fire station, usually due to budget restrictions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: firefighting, government

Examples

  • Fire departments across the country have been forced to rely on rolling brownouts because of the recession.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A power outage during the day; distinguished from a blackout, which occurs at night.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A moment or period where something is weakened, diminished or less effective.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, uncommon

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A blackout, regardless of time of day.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, Hong-Kong, Philippines

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

darkness resulting from the extinction of lights (as in a city invisible to enemy aircraft)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blackout, dimout

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dark, darkness

History

Etymology

A deverbal from brown out, by analogy with blackout.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Greek: πτώση τάσης (ptósi tásis) — a period of low alternating current line voltage
  • Italian: calo di tensione — a period of low alternating current line voltage
  • Māori: hiko tāngangao — a period of low alternating current line voltage
  • Russian: прова́л напряже́ния (provál naprjažénija) — a period of low alternating current line voltage
  • Russian: просадка (prosadka) — a period of low alternating current line voltage
  • Spanish: baja de voltaje — a period of low alternating current line voltage
  • Russian: потемне́ние в глаза́х (potemnénije v glazáx) — temporary dimming of vision, usually with a brown hue and accompanied by loss of peripheral vision or tunnel vision