blackball

1 of 2

verb

black·​ball ˈblak-ˌbȯl How to pronounce blackball (audio)
blackballed; blackballing; blackballs

transitive verb

1
: to vote against
especially : to exclude from membership by casting a negative vote
2
a
: to exclude socially : ostracize
b

blackball

2 of 2

noun

1
: a small black ball for use as a negative vote in a ballot box
2
: an adverse vote especially against admitting someone to membership in an organization

Examples of blackball in a Sentence

Verb She was blackballed by the sorority
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Clark has previously testified on the stand that after falling out with Combs, the Revolt TV founder tried to blackball her. Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 29 May 2025 Over the eight years since, Choi remained blackballed by the entirety of the Korean industry — until the production of the second season of Squid Game. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Noun
For more than 20 years, apologists for Israel have sought to shame, blackball, and fire professors who criticize Israeli policy. David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025 Among the keys to its success, labor groups said, is the Accord’s ability to blackball factories that refuse to remediate safety violations from selling goods to signatory brands. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for blackball

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blackball was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blackball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackball. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

blackball

1 of 2 noun
black·​ball ˈblak-ˌbȯl How to pronounce blackball (audio)
1
: a small black ball used to vote against a person
2
: a vote against a person

blackball

2 of 2 verb
: to vote against
especially : to keep (a person) from joining something by voting against

More from Merriam-Webster on blackball

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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