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blackballing

verb

present participle of blackball
as in dismissing
to reject by or as if by a vote he was disappointed to learn that he had been blackballed by the fraternity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of blackballing Social media rumors swirled that the league was blackballing her because of her activism. — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 4 May 2026 Last week, Google made sweepstakes ineligible for advertising certification, effectively blackballing them. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 10 Nov. 2025 In the past, the Young Money rapper has accused Roc Nation of blackballing her and also owing her $200 million. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackballing
  1. dismissing
  2. refusing
  3. killing
  4. vetoing
Verb
  • Without billions in funding and a stadium site, the rest is flowery prose, but there is no sense in dismissing any potential bidder a year or two before the bidding opens.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • While speaking with Entertainment Weekly in September 2026, Mirren praised working with Brosnan and Hardy, dismissing rumors of tension on set with the latter.
    — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissing
Verb
  • Kansas City finally slowed the Colts’ offense by refusing to give them the ball.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Major carriers from large swaths of the state are now refusing to insure even low-risk properties with minimal danger of burning.
    — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of refusing
Verb
  • The confrontation began Friday after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a mosque, and gunmen stormed the facility, killing 21 people and wounding 103 others.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The capital city is known for its tight air traffic and was the site of the deadliest crash in the United States in years in January 2025, when two aircraft collided over the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • In her speech, Strada criticized President Barack Obama for vetoing JASTA.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But even if the bill passes both chambers, the White House earlier said that the President’s advisers would recommend vetoing it.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 27 July 2026
Definition of vetoing

Browse Nearby Words

blackballed
blackballing
blackballs
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Cite this Entry

“Blackballing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackballing. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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