Ask Difference

Black vs. White — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on November 2, 2023
Black absorbs all light and color; white reflects them, symbolizing darkness and light respectively.
Black vs. White — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Black and White

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Key Differences

Black is the absence of color, absorbing all light in the color spectrum. White is the combination of all colors of light, reflecting them equally. They represent two extremes on the scale of light and color perception.
In cultural symbolism, black often signifies mystery, elegance, or negativity, while white typically represents purity, peace, or positivity. Their associations vary greatly across different cultures and contexts.
Black can signify formality and sophistication in attire, as in a "black-tie event," whereas white is often associated with simplicity and cleanliness, as seen in the concept of a "white sale" for linens.
In print and media, black text on a white background is the standard for clarity and readability, showing how the two colors are used in complement. Black and white photography, meanwhile, is prized for its timeless quality and artistic focus on contrast and composition.
While black can be seen as powerful and authoritative, white often implies neutrality or impartiality, such as in the white flag of surrender.
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Comparison Chart

Light Absorption

Absorbs all light
Reflects all light

Symbolism

Often signifies mystery or sophistication
Represents purity or peace

Fashion

Formal, elegant
Simple, clean

Usage in Print

Standard for text
Standard for background

Cultural Meanings

Can suggest sophistication or negativity
Associated with positivity or simplicity

Compare with Definitions

Black

Without any moral goodness; wicked.
The villain in the story had a black heart.

White

Characterized by the presence of all the wavelengths of visible light without absorption.
The artist used white to lighten her painting.

Black

Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and gray.

White

White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of fresh snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black.

Black

Of the very darkest colour owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; the opposite of white
Her long black hair
Black smoke

White

The achromatic color of maximum lightness; the color of objects that reflect nearly all light of all visible wavelengths; the complement or antagonist of black, the other extreme of the neutral gray series. Although typically a response to maximum stimulation of the retina, the perception of white appears always to depend on contrast.

Black

Belonging to or denoting any human group having dark-coloured skin, especially of African or Australian Aboriginal ancestry
Black adolescents of Jamaican descent

White

The albumen of an egg.

Black

Characterized by tragic or disastrous events; causing despair or pessimism
The future looks black
Five thousand men were killed on the blackest day of the war

White

The white part of an eyeball.

Black

Denoting a covert military procedure
Clearance for black operations came from the highest political level

White

A blank or unprinted area, as of an advertisement.

Black

(of goods or work) not to be handled or undertaken by trade union members, especially so as to express support for an industrial dispute elsewhere
The union declared the ship black

White

Whites Pieces of laundry having a white or nearly white color.

Black

Black colour or pigment
A tray decorated in black and green

White

Whites White pants or a white outfit of a special nature
Tennis whites.

Black

A member of a dark-skinned people, especially one of African or Australian Aboriginal ancestry
They tend to identify strongly with other blacks

White

Whites The white dress uniform of the US Navy or Coast Guard.

Black

The situation of not owing money to a bank or of making a profit in a business operation
It is hoped the club will be back in the black by the end of the season
An insurance company operating in the black will be able to pay for further growth
I managed to break even in the first six months—quite a short time for a small business to get into the black

White

A white wine.

Black

Blackcurrant cordial
A rum and black

White

A white pigment.

Black

Make (something) black, especially with polish
The steps of the house were neatly blacked

White

A white breed, species, or variety of animal.

Black

Refuse to handle (goods), undertake (work), or have dealings with (a person or business) as a way of taking industrial action
The union blacked the film because overtime was not being paid

White

Any of various butterflies of the subfamily Pierinae, characteristically having chiefly white wings often with black markings.

Black

Being of the color black, producing or reflecting comparatively little light and having no predominant hue.

White

Also White A member of a racial group having light-colored skin, especially when of European origin and in some classifications also when of Middle Eastern or North African origin.

Black

Having little or no light
A black, moonless night.

White

Often whites Products of a white color, such as flour, salt, and sugar.

Black

Of or belonging to a racial group having brown to black skin, especially one of African origin
The black population of South Africa.

White

The white or light-colored pieces, as in chess.

Black

Of or belonging to an American ethnic group descended from African peoples having dark skin; African American.

White

The player using these pieces.

Black

Very dark in color
Rich black soil.
Black, wavy hair.

White

The outermost ring of an archery target.

Black

Being a trail, as for skiing, marked with a sign having a black diamond, indicating a high level of difficulty.

White

A hit in this ring.

Black

Soiled, as from soot; dirty
Feet black from playing outdoors.

White

Whites(Medicine) Leukorrhea.

Black

Evil; wicked
The pirates' black deeds.

White

White A member of a conservative or counterrevolutionary faction, especially one opposing the Bolsheviks in the Russian civil war.

Black

Cheerless and depressing; gloomy
Black thoughts.

White

Being of the color white; devoid of hue, as new snow.

Black

Being or characterized by morbid or grimly satiric humor
A black comedy.

White

Weakly colored; almost colorless; pale
White wine.

Black

Marked by anger or sullenness
Gave me a black look.

White

Pale gray; silvery and lustrous
White hair.

Black

Attended with disaster; calamitous
A black day.
The stock market crash on Black Friday.

White

Bloodless; blanched.

Black

Deserving of, indicating, or incurring censure or dishonor
“Man ... has written one of his blackest records as a destroyer on the oceanic islands” (Rachel Carson).

White

Light or whitish in color or having light or whitish parts. Used with animal and plant names.

Black

Wearing clothing of the darkest visual hue
The black knight.

White

Also White Of or belonging to a racial group of people having light-colored skin, especially when of European origin, and in some classifications also when of Middle Eastern or North African origin
Voting patterns within the white population.

Black

Served without milk or cream
Black coffee.

White

Habited in white
White nuns.

Black

Appearing to emanate from a source other than the actual point of origin. Used chiefly of intelligence operations
Black propaganda.
Black radio transmissions.

White

Accompanied by or mantled with snow
A white Christmas.

Black

Disclosed, for reasons of security, only to an extremely limited number of authorized persons; very highly classified
Black programs in the Defense Department.
The Pentagon's black budget.

White

Incandescent
White flames.

Black

Chiefly British Boycotted as part of a labor union action.

White

Intensely heated; impassioned
White with fury.

Black

The achromatic color value of minimum lightness or maximum darkness; the color of objects that absorb nearly all light of all visible wavelengths; one extreme of the neutral gray series, the opposite being white. Although strictly a response to zero stimulation of the retina, the perception of black appears to depend on contrast with surrounding color stimuli.

White

White Of or relating to a conservative or counterrevolutionary faction, especially one opposing the Bolsheviks in the Russian civil war.

Black

A pigment or dye having this color value.

White

With milk added. Used of tea or coffee.

Black

Complete or almost complete absence of light; darkness.

White

(Archaic) Unsullied; pure.

Black

Clothing of the darkest hue, especially such clothing worn for mourning.

White

(Printing) To cover or make illegible with white coloring. Often used with out.

Black

A member of a racial group having brown to black skin, especially one of African origin.

White

Bright and colourless; reflecting equal quantities of all frequencies of visible light.
Write in black ink on white paper.

Black

An American descended from peoples of African origin having brown to black skin; an African American.

White

(sometimes capitalized) Of or relating to Caucasians, people of European descent with light-coloured skin.

Black

Something that is colored black.

White

Designated for use by Caucasians.
White drinking fountain
White hospital

Black

The black-colored pieces, as in chess or checkers.

White

Relatively light or pale in colour.
White wine
White grapes
White birch

Black

The player using these pieces.

White

Pale or pallid, as from fear, illness, etc.

Black

The condition of making or operating at a profit
Worked hard to get the business back into the black.

White

Lacking coloration (tan) from ultraviolet light; not tanned.

Black

To make black
Blacked their faces with charcoal.

White

Affected by leucism.

Black

To apply blacking to
Blacked the stove.

White

(of coffee or tea) Containing cream, milk, or creamer.

Black

Chiefly British To boycott as part of a labor union action.

White

The standard denomination of the playing pieces of a board game deemed to belong to the white set, no matter what the actual colour.
The white pieces in this set are in fact made of light green glass.

Black

To become black.

White

Pertaining to an ecclesiastical order whose adherents dress in white habits; Cistercian.

Black

(of an object) Absorbing all light and reflecting none; dark and hueless.

White

Honourable, fair; decent.

Black

(of a place, etc) Without light.

White

Grey, as from old age; having silvery hair; hoary.

Black

(sometimes capitalized) Belonging to or descended from any of various (African, Aboriginal, etc) ethnic groups which typically have dark pigmentation of the skin. See usage notes below.

White

(archaic) Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favourable.

Black

(US) Belonging to or descended from any of various sub-Saharan African ethnic groups which typically have dark pigmentation of the skin.

White

(obsolete) Regarded with especial favour; favourite; darling.

Black

Designated for use by those ethnic groups (as described above).
Black drinking fountain; black hospital

White

(politics) Pertaining to constitutional or anti-revolutionary political parties or movements.

Black

Of the spades or clubs suits. Compare of the hearts or diamonds suit
I was dealt two red queens, and he got one of the black queens.

White

(of tea) Made from immature leaves and shoots.

Black

Bad; evil; ill-omened.

White

(typography) Not containing characters; see white space.

Black

Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen.
He shot her a black look.

White

(typography) Said of a symbol or character outline, not solid, not filled with color. Compare said of a character or symbol filled with color.

Black

(of objects, markets, etc) Illegitimate, illegal or disgraced.

White

Characterised by the presence of snow.
A white Christmas
A white Easter

Black

Foul; dirty, soiled.

White

(of a set of armor) Alwhite, pertaining to white armor.

Black

Overcrowded.

White

The color/colour of snow or milk; the colour of light containing equal amounts of all visible wavelengths.

Black

(of coffee or tea) Without any cream, milk, or creamer.
Jim drinks his coffee black, but Ellen prefers it with creamer.

White

A person of European descent with light-coloured skin.

Black

Of or relating to the playing pieces of a board game deemed to belong to the "black" set (in chess the set used by the player who moves second) often regardless of the pieces' actual colour.
The black pieces in this chess set are made of dark blue glass.

White

Any butterfly of the subfamily Pierinae in the family Pieridae.

Black

(politics) Anarchist; of or pertaining to anarchism.

White

White wine.

Black

(typography) Said of a symbol or character that is solid, filled with color. Compare said of a character or symbol outline, not filled with color.

White

White coffee

Black

(politics) Related to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany.
After the election, the parties united in a black-yellow alliance.

White

(countable) Any object or substance that is of the color white.

Black

Clandestine; relating to a political, military, or espionage operation or site, the existence or details of which is withheld from the general public.
5 percent of the Defense Department funding will go to black projects.
Black operations/black ops, black room, black site

White

The albumen of bird eggs (egg white).

Black

Occult; relating to something (such as mystical or magical knowledge) which is unknown to or kept secret from the general public.

White

(anatomy) The sclera, white of the eye.

Black

Protestant, often with the implication of being militantly pro-British or anti-Catholic. 1=Compare blackmouth ("Presbyterian").
The Royal Black Institution

White

The cue ball in cue games.

Black

Having one or more features (hair, fur, armour, clothes, bark, etc) that is dark (or black); in taxonomy, especially: dark in comparison to another species with the same base name.
Black birch, black locust, black rhino
The black knight, black bile

White

Cocaine

Black

The colour/color perceived in the absence of light, but also when no light is reflected, but rather absorbed.

White

The snow- or ice-covered "green" in snow golf.

Black

A black dye or pigment.

White

A white pigment.
Venice white

Black

(countable) A pen, pencil, crayon, etc., made of black pigment.

White

A white bean

Black

(in the plural) Black cloth hung up at funerals.

White

(archery) The central part of the butt, which was formerly painted white; the centre of a mark at which a missile is shot.

Black

A member of descendant of any of various (African, Aboriginal, etc) ethnic groups which typically have dark pigmentation of the skin. See usage notes.

White

The enclosed part of a letter of the alphabet, especially when handwritten.

Black

(informal) Blackness, the condition of belonging to or being descended from one of these ethnic groups.
Black don't crack

White

A feather, from the wing of the cock ostrich, that is of the palest possible shade.

Black

The black ball.

White

(transitive) To make white; to whiten; to bleach.

Black

The edge of home plate.

White

Reflecting to the eye all the rays of the spectrum combined; not tinted with any of the proper colors or their mixtures; having the color of pure snow; snowy; - the opposite of black or dark; as, white paper; a white skin.
White as the whitest lily on a stream.

Black

A type of firecracker that is really more dark brown in colour.

White

Destitute of color, as in the cheeks, or of the tinge of blood color; pale; pallid; as, white with fear.
Or whispering with white lips, "The foe!They come! they come!"

Black

, especially as syrup or crème de cassis used for cocktails.
Pernod and black... snakebite and black... cider and black...

White

Having the color of purity; free from spot or blemish, or from guilt or pollution; innocent; pure.
White as thy fame, and as thy honor clear.
No whiter page than Addison's remains.

Black

The person playing with the black set of pieces.
At this point black makes a disastrous move.

White

Gray, as from age; having silvery hair; hoary.
Your high engendered battles 'gainst a headSo old and white as this.

Black

(countable) Something, or a part of a thing, which is black.

White

Characterized by freedom from that which disturbs, and the like; fortunate; happy; favorable.
On the whole, however, the dominie reckoned this as one of the white days of his life.

Black

A stain; a spot.

White

Regarded with especial favor; favorite; darling.
Come forth, my white spouse.
I am his white boy, and will not be gullet.
Driving their cattle continually with them, and feeding only upon their milk and white meats.
A pistol charged with white powder.

Black

A dark smut fungus, harmful to wheat.

White

Something having the color of snow; something white, or nearly so; as, the white of the eye.

Black

Marijuana.

White

Specifically, the central part of the butt in archery, which was formerly painted white; the center of a mark at which a missile is shot.
'T was I won the wager, though you hit the white.

Black

(transitive) To make black; to blacken.

White

A person with a white skin; a member of the white, or Caucasian, races of men.

Black

(transitive) To apply blacking to (something).

White

A white pigment; as, Venice white.

Black

To boycott, usually as part of an industrial dispute.

White

Any one of numerous species of butterflies belonging to Pieris, and allied genera in which the color is usually white. See Cabbage butterfly, under Cabbage.

Black

(pornography) of a white woman To be fucked by a black man.

White

To make white; to whiten; to whitewash; to bleach.
Whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of . . . uncleanness.
So as no fuller on earth can white them.

Black

Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes.
O night, with hue so black!

White

A member of the Caucasoid race

Black

In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in darkness; very dark or gloomy; as, a black night; the heavens black with clouds.
I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud.

White

The quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)

Black

Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness; destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked; cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible.

White

Australian writer (1912-1990)

Black

Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen; foreboding; as, to regard one with black looks.

White

United States political journalist (1915-1986)

Black

Sullenly; threateningly; maliciously; so as to produce blackness.

White

United States architect (1853-1906)

Black

That which is destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or rather a destitution of all color; as, a cloth has a good black.
Black is the badge of hell,The hue of dungeons, and the suit of night.

White

United States writer noted for his humorous essays (1899-1985)

Black

A black pigment or dye.

White

United States educator who in 1865 (with Ezra Cornell) founded Cornell University and served as its first president (1832-1918)

Black

A negro; a person whose skin is of a black color, or shaded with black; esp. a member or descendant of certain African races.

White

A tributary of the Mississippi River that flows southeastward through northern Arkansas and southern Missouri

Black

A black garment or dress; as, she wears black
Friends weeping, and blacks, and obsequies, and the like show death terrible.
That was the full time they used to wear blacks for the death of their fathers.

White

(board games) the lighter pieces

Black

The part of a thing which is distinguished from the rest by being black.
The black or sight of the eye.

White

(usually in the plural) trousers

Black

A stain; a spot; a smooch.
Defiling her white lawn of chastity with ugly blacks of lust.

White

Turn white;
This detergent will whiten your laundry

Black

To make black; to blacken; to soil; to sully.
They have their teeth blacked, both men and women, for they say a dog hath his teeth white, therefore they will black theirs.
Sins which black thy soul.

White

Being of the achromatic color of maximum lightness; having little or no hue owing to reflection of almost all incident light;
As white as fresh snow
A bride's white dress

Black

To make black and shining, as boots or a stove, by applying blacking and then polishing with a brush.

White

Of or belonging to a racial group having light skin coloration;
Voting patterns within the white population

Black

The quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)

White

Free from moral blemish or impurity; unsullied;
In shining white armor

Black

Total absence of light;
They fumbled around in total darkness
In the black of night

White

Marked by the presence of snow;
A white Christmas
The white hills of a northern winter

Black

British chemist who identified carbon dioxide and who formulated the concepts of specific heat and latent heat (1728-1799)

White

Restricted to whites only;
Under segregation there were even white restrooms and white drinking fountains
A lily-white movement which would expel Negroes from the organization

Black

Popular child actress of the 1930's (born 1927)

White

Glowing white with heat;
White flames
A white-hot center of the fire

Black

A person with dark skin who comes from Africa (or whose ancestors came from Africa)

White

Benevolent; without malicious intent;
White magic
A white lie
That's white of you

Black

(board games) the darker pieces

White

Of a surface; not written or printed on;
Blank pages
Fill in the blank spaces
A clean page
Wide white margins

Black

Black clothing (worn as a sign of mourning);
The widow wore black

White

(of coffee) having cream or milk added

Black

Make or become black;
The smoke blackened the ceiling
The ceiling blackened

White

Dressed (or especially habited) in white;
White nuns

Black

Being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light;
Black leather jackets
As black as coal
Rich black soil

White

(of hair) having lost its color;
The white hairs of old age

Black

Of or belonging to a racial group having dark skin especially of sub-Saharan African origin;
A great people--a black people--...injected new meaning and dignity into the veins of civilization

White

Ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion;
A face turned ashen
The invalid's blanched cheeks
Tried to speak with bloodless lips
A face livid with shock
Lips...livid with the hue of death
Lips white with terror
A face white with rage

Black

Marked by anger or resentment or hostility;
Black looks
Black words

White

Of summer nights in northern latitudes where the sun barely sets;
White nights

Black

Stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable;
Black deeds
A black lie
His black heart has concocted yet another black deed
Darth Vader of the dark side
A dark purpose
Dark undercurrents of ethnic hostility
The scheme of some sinister intelligence bent on punishing him

White

Of the color of milk or fresh snow, due to the reflection of most wavelengths of visible light.
The white snow covered the fields.

Black

Offering little or no hope;
The future looked black
Prospects were bleak
Life in the Aran Islands has always been bleak and difficult
Took a dim view of things

White

The visible pale color of things that reflect nearly all sunlight, without absorbing any.
She decorated her room in varying shades of white.

Black

(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin;
The stock market crashed on Black Friday
A calamitous defeat
The battle was a disastrous end to a disastrous campaign
Such doctrines, if true, would be absolutely fatal to my theory
It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it
A fateful error

White

A member of a light-skinned people, especially one of European origin.
The demographics included a majority of white.

Black

(of the face) made black especially as with suffused blood;
A face black with fury

White

Pure or innocent.
The white dove is a symbol of peace.

Black

Extremely dark;
A black moonless night
Through the pitch-black woods
It was pitch-dark in the celler

Black

Harshly ironic or sinister;
Black humor
A grim joke
Grim laughter
Fun ranging from slapstick clowning ... to savage mordant wit

Black

(of intelligence operations) deliberately misleading;
Black propaganda

Black

Distributed or sold illicitly;
The black economy pays no taxes

Black

(used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame;
Man...has written one of his blackest records as a destroyer on the oceanic islands
An ignominious retreat
Inglorious defeat
An opprobrious monument to human greed
A shameful display of cowardice

Black

(of coffee) without cream or sugar

Black

Dressed in black;
A black knight
Black friars

Black

Soiled with dirt or soot;
With feet black from playing outdoors
His shirt was black within an hour

Black

Of the darkest color, due to the absence of or complete absorption of light.
He wore a black suit to the funeral.

Black

A black thing or a member of a dark-skinned people.
A black cat crossed her path.

Black

Characterized by tragic or disastrous events; causing despair.
It was a black day for the company.

Black

Total darkness, the absence of light.
The basement was in complete black.

Common Curiosities

Is black a color?

In art, black is considered a color; in physics, it's the absence of visible light.

Why do people wear black to funerals?

Black is traditionally worn at funerals as a sign of mourning.

Can white be considered a color?

Yes, white is considered a color because it reflects all wavelengths of visible light.

What does "black" symbolize in culture?

Black can symbolize power, sophistication, mourning, or evil, depending on the context.

What is "black comedy"?

Black comedy is a genre of humor that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo.

What's a "black box" in an airplane?

A "black box" is an electronic recording device in aircraft to facilitate the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents.

Why is "white" often used at weddings?

White symbolizes purity and new beginnings, which is why it's popular at weddings.

What is the meaning of a "white flag"?

A white flag is universally recognized as a symbol of truce or surrender.

What's a "white lie"?

A white lie is a harmless or trivial lie, often told to avoid hurting someone's feelings.

Does black absorb heat?

Yes, black absorbs all wavelengths of light, converting them into heat.

Do black and white contrast well together?

Yes, black and white create the highest contrast possible, which is why they're used to denote opposites.

Is white clothing cooler in the sun?

Yes, white clothing reflects sunlight, which helps keep the body cooler.

Why are legal documents often in black and white?

Black ink on white paper is the clearest for reading and photocopying, and it provides a formal appearance.

Can black and white be used to describe movies or photographs?

Yes, black and white describe films or photos made without color, focusing on shades and contrasts.

Are black and white considered shades or colors?

In terms of pigment, black is a shade and white is a tint; in terms of light, they are colors.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza 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.
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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