black mark

American  

noun

1. an indication of failure or censure.

   His chronic lateness is a black mark against him.

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black mark British  

noun

1. an indication of disapproval, failure, etc

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black mark Idioms  

1. An indication of censure or failure, as in If you refuse to work late, won't that be a black mark against you? This phrase alludes to a literal black mark, such as a cross, that was put next to a person's name, indicating that he or she had incurred a rebuke or penalty of some kind. [Mid-1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of black mark

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

black mark

Investors are attracted to those standout performances, even with a black mark in a manager’s past.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Carrying that kind of balance with one of the most expensive and precarious types of debt is another black mark for any lender offering you a card.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

It left a scorched black mark on his orange rayon shirt that made him look like a superhero.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026

Sorsby’s case is an unambiguous black mark for the entire enterprise of legal sports betting, though.

From Slate ● Apr. 28, 2026

The wind gusted across the tire tracks and imprints of human shoulders and hands; and there was nothing left but broken bottles and a black mark on the ground where the fire had been.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko