embargo

noun
UK: /ɪmˈbɑː.ɡəʊ/
US: /ɪmˈbɑːr.ɡoʊ/

  1. An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country or group of countries.

    1. The US placed an embargo on Cuba.
    2. Because of political unrest, the government imposed a strict embargo on arms sales to the region.

  2. A legal prohibition, especially one issued by a government, that restricts the movement of ships or goods.

    1. The embargo affected oil shipments.
    2. The UN voted to lift the embargo after the peace agreement was signed by both nations.

Synonyms

sanction prohibition boycott restriction ban
embargo transitive-verb

  1. To officially prohibit trade or commerce with a country or entity.

    1. The government embargoed the goods.
    2. The United Nations voted to embargo the shipment of weapons to the warring nations.

  2. To impose a restriction or prohibition on something.

    1. The newspaper embargoed the story until the official announcement.
    2. The company decided to embargo all internal communications related to the ongoing investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "embargo" in English means: An official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country or group of countries., A legal prohibition, especially one issued by a government, that restricts the movement of ships or goods..

The phonetic transcription of "embargo" is /ɪmˈbɑː.ɡəʊ/ in British English and /ɪmˈbɑːr.ɡoʊ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "embargo": sanction, prohibition, boycott, restriction, ban.

Example usage of "embargo": "The US placed an embargo on Cuba.". More examples on the page.