blacklist

[blak-list]

noun

1. a list of persons under suspicion, disfavor, censure, etc..

   His record as an anarchist put him on the government's blacklist.

2. a list privately exchanged among employers, containing the names of persons to be barred from employment because of untrustworthiness or for holding opinions considered undesirable.

3. a list drawn up by a labor union, containing the names of employers to be boycotted for unfair labor practices.

verb (used with object)

1. to put (a person, group, company, etc.) on a blacklist.

   Synonyms: ostracize, shun, ban, proscribe, debar, bar, blackball

blacklist

/ ˈblækˌlɪst /

noun

1. a list of persons or organizations under suspicion, or considered untrustworthy, disloyal, etc, esp one compiled by a government or an organization

verb

1. (tr) to put on a blacklist

blacklist

1. Concerted action by employers to deny employment to someone suspected of unacceptable opinions or behavior. For example, individual workers suspected of favoring labor unions have often been blacklisted by all the employers in a region.

During the McCarthy era (see Joseph P. McCarthy) in the 1950s, the careers of many public figures suspected of communist activities were ruined by blacklisting.

Other Word Forms

• blacklisting noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of blacklist¹

First recorded in 1610–20; black + list ¹

Example Sentences

The U.S. late last month expanded a trade blacklist of companies that pose national-security risks to also include subsidiaries.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. also has a trade blacklist known as an entity list for companies it says pose national-security risks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The U.S., which has used targeted sanctions against Chinese firms, hasn’t blacklisted companies for doing civilian work in Iran.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Jane Fonda has relaunched the Committee for the First Amendment, a free-expression coalition originally formed by Hollywood stars in 1947 to oppose the House Un-American Activities Committee and the Hollywood blacklist.

Read more on Salon

The Discayas were summoned by the Senate and the House of Representatives for investigations, and authorities blacklisted their firm, while protesters smeared the gates to their office with mud and spray-painted the word "thief".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• banish 
• blackball 
• expel 
• ostracize 
• snub