economic sanctions

British

plural noun

any actions taken by one nation or group of nations to harm the economy of another nation or group, often to force a political change

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Potash, the potassium-rich component of fertilizers, has also been in short supply in recent years, in part because of economic sanctions on Belarus and Russia, which are major potash producers.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

Bringing the Geneva Conventions and their prohibition of war crimes into the fight against lethal economic sanctions can raise the legal and political cost of enforcing them.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Iran says Tuesday's meeting, mediated by Oman, will focus on its nuclear programme and the potential lifting of economic sanctions imposed by the US.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Since Khamenei took over in 1989, he has managed to keep the system in place despite economic sanctions and repeated protests.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

He’d violated State Department economic sanctions against Yugoslavia by playing a $5 million chess match against Boris Spassky in Sveti Stefan, Montenegro, in 1992, and an arrest warrant had been issued at that time.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023