as in to dismiss
to reject by or as if by a vote
he was disappointed to learn that he had been blackballed by the fraternity
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2
as in banishment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blackball
Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Twelve years later, the Chicks would be blackballed for arguably less.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2025
Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2023
Photos of Jay-Z hamming it up with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who many see as the face of Kaepernick’s blackball, were off-putting, to put it politely.
—Jonathan Jones, SI.com, 21 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for blackball
Verb
In 2017, the rapper, along with many of his peers, expressed support for free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick after the NFL player claimed that he had been blackballed by the league for kneeling during the National Anthem.
—Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Twelve years later, the Chicks would be blackballed for arguably less.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2025
Noun
Maybe there’s an alternate universe where musicians are currently banding together against AI, opting to blackball anyone complicit in its rapid ascension from a viral sideshow into a thorn in the industry’s side.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 4 May 2023
Photos of Jay-Z hamming it up with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who many see as the face of Kaepernick’s blackball, were off-putting, to put it politely.
—Jonathan Jones, SI.com, 21 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for blackball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackball
Verb
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The charges were dismissed because West’s cause of death was not determined, and some evidence had been illegally obtained. (Netflix) Lewis was convicted of six counts of mail fraud in a 1981 credit card scheme in Kansas City.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2025
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The involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin were dismissed with prejudice last year.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Some private companies have what amounts to veto power over any move employees make with their shares, a way to exercise greater control over their cap tables.—
Hayden Field,
CNBC,
23 May 2025
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Opponents of the governor’s veto believe the expenditure of that energy is necessary and point to efforts in Washington to unravel DEI as a reason Maryland should commit itself to study reparations.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The forecast comes after several devastating hurricanes battered the U.S. last year, including Helene, which killed 241 people across five states in September.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
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The week took a tragic turn Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C., when two Israeli Embassy employees were shot and killed near a Jewish museum.—
Grace Miserocchi,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
Noun
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What are the pros and cons of 5+11 and how does that work?—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 May 2025
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Pros & cons One of the longest intro-APR offers for balance transfers No annual fee No rewards No welcome bonus More details Balance transfer fee There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
29 May 2025
Noun
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Nevertheless, these actions create a destructive cycle identified in the study that explains how narcissism and ostracism fuel each other.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN,
20 Feb. 2025
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According to the researchers, the results speak to the complexity of our social interactions and could help inform interventions, not only against ostracism but against conflicts tied to narcissism as well.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Indian officials had previously refused to confirm even a single aircraft loss.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
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Wyatt, the senior ace on his way to Michigan, and Walker, the gritty junior second baseman who refused to give up on his dream of starting, paused when trying to wrap their heads around the scene unfolding around them.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
31 May 2025
Noun
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Despite battlefield advances, Putin has reportedly agreed in principle to begin drafting a peace framework following a two-hour call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has voiced frustration over Putin’s refusal to engage with Kyiv directly and recent large-scale Russian attacks.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Her refusal to be anything other than fully, unapologetically herself.—
Skye P. Marshall,
IndieWire,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Secretary Kristi Noem welcomed the dismissal of a lawsuit against the department for sending migrants to Guantánamo Bay.—
Filip Timotija,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
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Despite widespread doubt following the dismissal of Malone, the Nuggets, led by the Adelman and his staff, exceeded expectations.—
Ricardo Klein,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blackball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackball. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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