Blank vs. Space — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 8, 2024
Blank typically refers to something entirely empty or devoid of content, while space can denote both physical and metaphorical emptiness, often implying a specific area or gap.
Difference Between Blank and Space
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A blank is often used to describe an area with nothing in it, such as a blank page or a blank field in a form, emphasizing the lack of content. Space, on the other hand, often refers to a defined area or volume, whether it's filled or not.
In writing and forms, a blank specifically indicates a place where no text or data is present, suggesting something is missing that needs to be filled. Space encompasses more, including the distances or areas between objects, implying physical dimensions.
A blank conveys a sense of incompleteness or the potential to be filled, often used metaphorically to describe a lapse in memory (a blank mind). Whereas space can symbolize freedom or the opportunity for elements to exist independently.
In digital contexts, a blank is typically represented by an absence of characters, such as a blank cell in a spreadsheet. Space might be represented by a space character (' '), which separates words and symbols yet is a definable presence.
A blank area in art or design might be used to convey isolation or a pause, creating a focus on what is absent. In contrast, space in design refers to the strategic placement of elements to achieve visual balance and harmony.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
An area devoid of any marks or content
An area or gap between objects or within objects
Usage in Forms
Indicates a field where information is to be entered
Refers to gaps or separations within content
Conceptual Use
Often implies a need for completion
Suggests freedom or capacity
Digital Representation
Absence of all characters
Represented by a space character (' ')
Design Implication
Used to highlight emptiness or isolation
Used to create visual balance and emphasis
Compare with Definitions
Blank
Completely empty, no content.
She handed in a blank sheet of paper.
Space
The interval between two points or objects.
The space between each desk was measured.
Blank
Not written or printed on.
The first page of the book was blank.
Space
A gap in text or between items.
Insert a space after the comma.
Blank
Lacking expression or understanding.
He gave me a blank look when I asked him the question.
Space
Outer space, the physical universe beyond Earth's atmosphere.
She dreams of traveling in space.
Blank
Unrecorded or not filled in.
Leave the last section blank.
Space
The dimensions of height, depth, and width within which all things exist.
The sculpture takes up too much space.
Blank
Available to be used.
We have blank tiles that you can paint on.
Space
A continuous area or expanse which is free, available, or unoccupied.
There’s space for three cars in that garage.
Blank
Devoid of writing, images, or marks
A blank wall.
A blank screen.
Space
Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime.
Blank
Containing no information; unrecorded or erased
A blank tape.
A blank diskette.
Space
(Mathematics) A set of elements or points satisfying specified geometric postulates
Non-Euclidean space.
Blank
Having spaces for information to be provided; not completed or filled in
A blank questionnaire.
Space
The infinite extension of the three-dimensional region in which all matter exists.
Blank
Not having received final processing; unfinished
A blank key.
Space
The expanse in which the solar system, stars, and galaxies exist; the universe.
Blank
Devoid of thought or impression
A blank mind.
Space
The region of this expanse beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Blank
Showing no expression, interest, or understanding; expressionless
A blank stare.
Space
An extent or expanse of a surface or three-dimensional area
Water covered a large space at the end of the valley.
Blank
Devoid of activity or distinctive character; empty
Tried to fill the blank hours of the day.
Space
A blank or empty area
The spaces between words.
Blank
Absolute; complete
A blank refusal.
Space
An area provided for a particular purpose
A parking space.
Blank
An empty space or place, especially an empty space on a document to be filled in.
Space
Reserved or available accommodation on a public transportation vehicle.
Blank
A document with one or more such spaces.
Space
A period or interval of time
Within the space of a week.
Blank
Something without information or thought
When I read that question on the test, my mind was a blank.
Space
A little while
Let's rest for a space.
Blank
Something showing no expression or understanding
When he told his mother what happened, her face was a blank.
Space
Sufficient freedom from external pressure to develop or explore one's needs, interests, and individuality
"The need for personal space inevitably asserts itself" (Maggie Scarf).
Blank
A manufactured article of a standard shape or form that is ready for final processing, as by stamping or cutting
A key blank.
Space
(Music) One of the intervals between the lines of a staff.
Blank
A blank cartridge.
Space
(Printing) One of the blank pieces of type or other means used for separating words or characters.
Blank
Something worthless, such as a losing lottery ticket.
Space
One of the intervals during the telegraphic transmission of a message when the key is open or not in contact.
Blank
A mark, usually a dash (—), indicating the omission of a word or of a letter or letters.
Space
Blank sections in printed material or broadcast time available for use by advertisers.
Blank
The white circle in the center of a target; a bull's-eye.
Space
To organize or arrange with spaces between
Carefully space the words on the poster.
Blank
(Games) An unmarked piece or portion of a piece, as a domino tile, whose value may be determined by the holder.
Space
To separate or keep apart
The buildings are spaced far from each other.
Blank
To remove, as from view; obliterate
"At times the strong glare of the sun blanked it from sight" (Richard Wright).
Space
(Slang) To stupefy or disorient. Often used with out
The antihistamine spaces me out so I can't think clearly.
Blank
To block access to
Blank off a subway tunnel.
Space
To be or become stupefied or disoriented. Often used with out
I was supposed to meet her, but I spaced out and forgot.
Blank
(Sports) To prevent (an opponent) from scoring.
Space
(heading) Of time.
Blank
To punch or stamp from flat stock, especially with a die.
Space
Free time; leisure, opportunity.
Blank
To become abstracted. Often used with out
My mind blanked out for a few seconds.
Space
A specific (specified) period of time.
Blank
To fail to find or remember something
I blanked when asked the name of our mayor.
Space
An undefined period of time (without qualifier, especially a short period); a while.
Blank
To fade away
The music gradually blanked out.
Space
(heading) Unlimited or generalized extent, physical or otherwise.
Blank
(archaic) White or pale; without colour.
Space
Distance between things.
Blank
Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in
Blank paper
A blank check
A blank ballot
A blank CD
Space
Physical extent across two or three dimensions (sometimes for or to do something).
Blank
(figurative) Lacking characteristics which give variety; uniform.
A blank desert; a blank wall; blank unconsciousness
Space
Physical extent in all directions, seen as an attribute of the universe (now usually considered as a part of space-time), or a mathematical model of this.
Blank
Absolute; downright; sheer.
There was a look of blank terror on his face.
A blank refusal to cooperate
Space
The near-vacuum in which planets, stars and other celestial objects are situated; the universe beyond the earth's atmosphere.
The first man in space
Blank
Without expression, usually due to incomprehension.
Failing to understand the question, he gave me a blank stare.
Space
The physical and psychological area one needs within which to live or operate; personal freedom.
Blank
Utterly confounded or discomfited.
Space
(heading) A bounded or specific extent, physical or otherwise.
Blank
Empty; void; without result; fruitless.
A blank day
Space
A (chiefly empty) area or volume with set limits or boundaries.
Blank
Devoid of thoughts, memory, or inspiration.
The shock left his memory blank.
Space
(music) A position on the staff or stave bounded by lines.
Blank
(military) Of ammunition: having propellant but no bullets; unbulleted.
The recruits were issued with blank rounds for a training exercise.
Space
A gap in text between words, lines etc., or a digital character used to create such a gap.
Blank
A small French coin, originally of silver, afterwards of copper, worth 5 deniers; also a silver coin of Henry V current in the parts of France then held by the English, worth about 8 pence .
Space
(metal type) A piece of metal type used to separate words, cast lower than other type so as not to take ink, especially one that is narrower than one en (compare quad).
Blank
(obsolete) A nonplus 16th century.
Space
A gap; an empty place.
Blank
The white spot in the centre of a target; hence (figuratively) the object to which anything is directed or aimed, the range of such aim .
Space
(geometry) A set of points, each of which is uniquely specified by a number (the dimensionality) of coordinates.
Blank
A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated since the 16th century.
Space
A generalized construct or set whose members have some property in common; typically there will be a geometric metaphor allowing these members to be viewed as "points". Often used with a restricting modifier describing the members (e.g. vector space), or indicating the inventor of the construct (e.g. Hilbert space).
Functional analysis is best approached through a sound knowledge of Hilbert space theory.
Blank
An empty space; a void, for example on a paper .
Space
A field, area, or sphere of activity or endeavour.
Innovation in the browser space
Blank
A space to be filled in on a form or template.
Write your answers in the blanks.
Space
Anything analogous to a physical space in which one can interact, such as an online chat room.
Blank
Provisional words printed in italics (instead of blank spaces) in a bill before Parliament, being matters of practical detail, of which the final form will be settled in Committee .
Space
To roam, walk, wander.
Blank
A document, paper, or form with spaces left blank to be filled up at the pleasure of the person to whom it is given (e.g. a blank charter, ballot, form, contract, etc.), or as the event may determine; a blank form .
Space
(transitive) To set some distance apart.
Faye had spaced the pots at 8-inch intervals on the windowsill.
The cities are evenly spaced.
Blank
An empty form without substance; anything insignificant; nothing at all .
Space
To insert or utilise spaces in a written text.
This paragraph seems badly spaced.
Blank
An unprinted leaf of a book 20th century.
Space
To eject into outer space, usually without a space suit.
The captain spaced the traitors.
Blank
(literature) Blank verse .
Space
To travel into and through outer space.
Blank
A piece of metal (such as a coin, screw, nuts), cut and shaped to the required size of the thing to be made, and ready for the finishing operations; (coining) the disc of metal before stamping .
Space
Extension, considered independently of anything which it may contain; that which makes extended objects conceivable and possible.
Pure space is capable neither of resistance nor motion.
Blank
Any article of glass on which subsequent processing is required since the 19th century.
Space
Place, having more or less extension; room.
They gave him chase, and hunted him as hare;Long had he no space to dwell [in].
While I have time and space.
Blank
(electric recording) The shaved wax ready for placing on a recording machine for making wax records with a stylus 20th century.
Space
A quantity or portion of extension; distance from one thing to another; an interval between any two or more objects; as, the space between two stars or two hills; the sound was heard for the space of a mile.
Put a space betwixt drove and drove.
Blank
(figurative) A vacant space, place, or period; a void since the 17th century.
Space
Quantity of time; an interval between two points of time; duration; time.
Nine times the space that measures day and night.
God may defer his judgments for a time, and give a people a longer space of repentance.
Blank
The 1 / 230400 of a grain 17th century.
Space
A short time; a while.
Blank
An empty space in one's memory; a forgotten item or memory since the 18th century.
Space
Walk; track; path; course.
This ilke [same] monk let old things pace,And held after the new world the space.
Blank
A dash written in place of an omitted letter or word since the 18th century
Space
A small piece of metal cast lower than a face type, so as not to receive the ink in printing, - used to separate words or letters.
Blank
The space character; the character resulting from pressing the space-bar on a keyboard.
Space
One of the intervals, or open places, between the lines of the staff.
Blank
(dominoes) A domino without points on one or both of its divisions.
The double blank
The six blank
Space
That portion of the universe outside the earth or its atmosphere; - called also outer space.
Blank
(firearms) blank cartridge since the 19th century.
It was an unloaded gun that fired only blanks.
Space
To walk; to rove; to roam.
And loved in forests wild to space.
Blank
An ineffective effort which achieves nothing since the 20th century.
Space
To arrange or adjust the spaces in or between; as, to space words, lines, or letters.
Blank
(chemistry) A sample for a control experiment that does not contain any of the analyte of interest, in order to deliberately produce a non-detection to verify that a detection is distinguishable from it.
Space
The unlimited expanse in which everything is located;
They tested his ability to locate objects in space
Blank
(slang) Infertile semen.
Space
An empty area (usually bounded in some way between things);
The architect left space in front of the building
They stopped at an open space in the jungle
The space between his teeth
Blank
(transitive) To make void; to erase.
I blanked out my previous entry.
Space
An area reserved for some particular purpose;
The laboratory's floor space
Blank
To ignore (a person) deliberately.
She blanked me for no reason.
Space
A blank character used to separate successive words in writing or printing;
He said the space is the most important character in the alphabet
Blank
To render ineffective by blanketing with turbulent airflow, such as from aircraft wake or reverse thrust.
At high angles of attack, the shuttle's rudder is blanked by the fuselage and wings, forcing it to use its RCS thrusters for yaw control.
Space
The interval between two times;
The distance from birth to death
It all happened in the space of 10 minutes
Blank
(transitive) To prevent from scoring; for example, in a sporting event.
The team was blanked.
England blanks Wales to advance to the final.
Space
A blank area;
Write your name in the space provided
Blank
(intransitive) To become blank.
Space
One of the areas between or below or above the lines of a musical staff;
The spaces are the notes F-A-C-E
Blank
(intransitive) To be temporarily unable to remember.
I'm blanking on her name right now.
Space
(printing) a block of type without a raised letter; used for spacing between words
Blank
Of a white or pale color; without color.
To the blank moonHer office they prescribed.
Space
Place at intervals;
Space the interviews so that you have some time between the different candidates
Blank
Free from writing, printing, or marks; having an empty space to be filled in with some special writing; - said of checks, official documents, etc.; as, blank paper; a blank check; a blank ballot.
Blank
Utterly confounded or discomfited.
Adam . . . astonied stood, and blank.
Blank
Empty; void; without result; fruitless; as, a blank space; a blank day.
Blank
Lacking characteristics which give variety; as, a blank desert; a blank wall; destitute of interests, affections, hopes, etc.; as, to live a blank existence; destitute of sensations; as, blank unconsciousness.
Blank
Lacking animation and intelligence, or their associated characteristics, as expression of face, look, etc.; expressionless; vacant.
The blank . . . glance of a half returned consciousness.
Blank
Absolute; downright; unmixed; as, blank terror.
Blank
Any void space; a void space on paper, or in any written instrument; an interval void of consciousness, action, result, etc; a void.
I can not write a paper full, I used to do; and yet I will not forgive a blank of half an inch from you.
From this time there ensues a long blank in the history of French legislation.
I was ill. I can't tell how long - it was a blank.
Blank
A lot by which nothing is gained; a ticket in a lottery on which no prize is indicated.
In Fortune's lottery liesA heap of blanks, like this, for one small prize.
Blank
A paper unwritten; a paper without marks or characters a blank ballot; - especially, a paper on which are to be inserted designated items of information, for which spaces are left vacant; a bland form.
The freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank.
Blank
A paper containing the substance of a legal instrument, as a deed, release, writ, or execution, with spaces left to be filled with names, date, descriptions, etc.
Blank
The point aimed at in a target, marked with a white spot; hence, the object to which anything is directed.
Let me still remainThe true blank of thine eye.
Blank
Aim; shot; range.
I have stood . . . within the blank of his displeasureFor my free speech.
Blank
A kind of base silver money, first coined in England by Henry V., and worth about 8 pence; also, a French coin of the seventeenth century, worth about 4 pence.
Blank
A piece of metal prepared to be made into something by a further operation, as a coin, screw, nuts.
Blank
A piece or division of a piece, without spots; as, the "double blank"; the "six blank."
Blank
To make void; to annul.
Blank
To blanch; to make blank; to damp the spirits of; to dispirit or confuse.
Each opposite that blanks the face of joy.
Blank
A blank character used to separate successive words in writing or printing;
He said the space is the most important character in the alphabet
Blank
A substitute for a taboo word;
I hit the blank blank car
Blank
A blank gap or missing part
Blank
A piece of material ready to be made into something
Blank
A cartridge containing an explosive charge but no bullet
Blank
Keep the opposing (baseball) team from winning
Blank
Of a surface; not written or printed on;
Blank pages
Fill in the blank spaces
A clean page
Wide white margins
Blank
Void of expression;
A blank stare
Blank
Not charged with a bullet;
A blank cartridge
Common Curiosities
How does 'space' function in graphic design?
Space in design is used to separate or group information visually.
What is the role of space in architecture?
Space in architecture is crucial for functionality and aesthetic composition.
Can 'blank' have psychological implications?
Yes, a blank expression can indicate confusion or lack of knowledge.
What is a blank in printing?
A blank area on a printed material where no ink is applied.
What is negative space in art?
Negative space refers to the background space around and between the subject of an image.
What is personal space in psychology?
Personal space refers to the physical space individuals maintain between themselves and others.
What does a blank tile mean in games like Scrabble?
A blank tile can be used as any letter.
What is a blank verse in poetry?
Blank verse is unrhymed but usually in iambic pentameter.
How are blanks used in forms?
Blanks are used for users to provide missing information.
How does space affect readability in text?
Adequate space between lines and words improves readability.
Is it possible to have a blank screen on a computer?
A blank screen can indicate a lack of input or an error.
How is space used in urban planning?
Space planning in urban contexts determines the layout of buildings and public areas.
How do astronauts describe the experience of space?
Astronauts often describe space as vast and awe-inspiring.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
