Spanish word of the day: Apagón

What does apagón mean?

Apagón (masculine noun) – A sudden and usually unexpected power outage or blackout, when electricity is cut off and lights, appliances, and devices stop working. The word comes from the verb apagar (to turn off) with the suffix -ón, which intensifies the idea of something being switched off.

Example sentences with apagón

• Tuvimos un apagón y no teníamos internet.
  💡We had a power outage and had no internet.

• Durante el apagón, todos encendieron velas para iluminar la casa.
  🕯️During the blackout, everyone lit candles to light up the house.

• El apagón duró solo 33 minutos, según los documentos filtrados.
  ⏳The outage only lasted 33 minutes, according to the leaked documents.

Apagón in context

Apagón is a word you’ll hear any time there’s a sudden loss of electricity, whether it’s just your house or an entire city. These moments can be caused by storms, technical failures, or even scheduled maintenance. In many Spanish-speaking countries, people are used to dealing with apagones-they might grab flashlights, light candles, or simply wait it out. Sometimes, apagón also pops up in conversations about big news events, like citywide blackouts or infrastructure problems.

You’ll find apagón used in both everyday life and the news, and it’s not just about electricity: at concerts or events, a sudden loss of light or sound is also called an apagón. If you want to sound natural in Spanish, use apagón when you’re talking about those moments when everything suddenly stops and you’re left in the dark-literally or figuratively.