black hole: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Scientific, Technical, Figurative, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “black hole” mean?
A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.
A situation, place, or process that consumes resources, information, or energy without producing any discernible output or result.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in technical meaning. Figurative usage is slightly more common in American business/political journalism.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties: overwhelmingly negative, implying inescapability and total consumption.
Frequency
High frequency in scientific/educational contexts globally. Figurative use is common in news media in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “black hole” in a Sentence
[Verb] + black hole (e.g., 'observe a black hole')black hole + [Preposition] (e.g., 'black hole at the centre', 'black hole of bureaucracy')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “black hole” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The company's finances were completely black-holed.
- I think my application got black-holed by HR.
American English
- The data was black-holed by the faulty server.
- He claims his report was black-holed by management.
adjective
British English
- They're stuck in a black-hole bureaucracy.
- The team faced black-hole budget constraints.
American English
- It was a black-hole project from the start.
- We need to fix this black-hole process.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a venture or department that consistently loses money without hope of return. 'The new division turned into a financial black hole.'
Academic
Primarily used in physics and astronomy courses and papers to describe the astrophysical phenomenon.
Everyday
Used figuratively to describe a situation where things (time, money, effort) disappear without result. 'My inbox is a black hole for important emails.'
Technical
Describes the precise astrophysical object, often with qualifiers like 'Kerr black hole' or 'accretion disk'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “black hole”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “black hole”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “black hole”
- Using 'black hole' as a positive metaphor (e.g., 'a black hole of creativity' is contradictory).
- Confusing with 'dark matter'.
- Misspelling as a single word ('blackhole' is non-standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not directly. We infer their presence by observing their effects on nearby matter and light, such as stars orbiting an invisible point or X-rays from heated material falling in. The Event Horizon Telescope produced an image of the shadow of a black hole's event horizon in 2019.
The singularity is the theoretical point at the centre where density and gravity become infinite and space-time curves infinitely. Our current laws of physics break down at this point.
It is standard in journalism and professional discourse (e.g., 'budget black hole'), but remains metaphorical. In highly formal scientific writing, the term is used only in its literal astrophysical sense.
A black hole is a one-way gravitational trap from which nothing can escape. A wormhole is a hypothetical 'bridge' or tunnel connecting two separate points in space-time, potentially allowing travel between them.
A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape from it.
Black hole: in British English it is pronounced /ˌblæk ˈhəʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌblæk ˈhoʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(figurative) It's like throwing money into a black hole.”
- “(figurative) The project became a black hole for resources.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a hole so black that not even light (the fastest thing) can climb out. For the figurative sense: imagine a pit where you throw documents or coins and never hear them hit bottom.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROBLEMS ARE BOTTOMLESS PITS / INEFFICIENCY IS A SPATIAL VOID / LOSS IS AN UNESCAPABLE GRAVITATIONAL FIELD.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'black hole' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?