blacklist
To put a person or organization on a list of those who are viewed with suspicion or disapproval, preventing them from finding work or doing business.
Typically used in professional, political, or economic contexts where an individual is systematically denied employment or access to services due to their beliefs or past actions.
Word relationships
- boycott: Boycott is a consumer-driven refusal to buy products, whereas blacklist is an industry-driven refusal to hire or do business with an individual.
- ban: Ban is a formal prohibition, while blacklist is often an unwritten, behind-the-scenes agreement to exclude someone.
- whitelist: To whitelist is to put someone on a list of approved and trusted entities, the exact opposite of blacklisting.
- recommend: To recommend is to endorse someone for employment, whereas blacklisting warns others not to hire them.
Commonly confused with
- blackmail: Blackmail is demanding money in exchange for not revealing compromising secrets, while blacklist is excluding someone from professional opportunities.
Word family
- blacklisting (noun): The action of putting someone on a blacklist.
- blacklisted (adjective): Placed on a list of banned or disapproved entities.
Collocations
- blacklist a worker
- put on a blacklist
- effectively blacklisted
Example sentences
- "During the Red Scare, Hollywood studios would blacklist writers and actors suspected of having communist sympathies, ruining many careers." A history of the mid-20th century entertainment industry.
- "If you repeatedly fail to pay your credit card bills, financial institutions may blacklist you, making it impossible to secure a loan." A warning about financial consequences.
Memory hook
Imagine a list written in thick, permanent 'black' ink that blocks you from entering any office building. A list that blocks your career.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to physical banishment or personal emotional distance; it is an economic or professional barrier.
Fun facts
- The Hollywood Blacklist of the 1940s and 50s forced many talented screenwriters to write under fake names (pseudonyms) or use 'fronts'—other writers who agreed to put their names on the scripts.
Explore more words
boycott, ostracize, discredit, disenfranchise, stigmatize, Ostracism
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