What does "blackball" mean?
A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
Blackball
/ˈblækbɑl/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
- Grammar: blackball is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ball, ballot token, ban, ban.
- Useful contrasts: acceptance, accepted member, admission.
- Usage evidence: Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate.
How to use "blackball"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "blackball" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "blackball" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "blackball" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "blackball" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "blackball" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ball" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "blackball", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A rejection; a vote against admitting someone. countable
- 2 the act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto wordnet
- 3 A black ball used to indicate such a negative vote. countable
"Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate."
- 4 A kind of large black sweet, a black-colored gobstopper. countable
- 5 A substance for blacking shoes, boots, etc. or for taking impressions of engraved work. countable, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A game, a standardized version of the English version of eight-ball. uncountable
Verb
- 1 To vote against, especially in an exclusive organization. transitive
"If you're not from a moneyed, well-connected family, you can count on getting blackballed from the fraternity."
- 2 vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent wordnet
- 3 To ostracize. transitive
"Henry knew. If he were blackballed by this distaff Mafia, he was doomed: Endless, but always justifiable, delays would occur in the work he wanted typed."
- 4 expel from a community or group wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A small town in Grey district, West Coast, New Zealand, with a history of gold and coal mining.
Antonyms
Example
"Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "blackball"?
Common synonyms include: ball, ballot token, ban, ban, banish, banish.
How do you use "blackball" in a sentence?
Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate.
How do you pronounce "blackball"?
Pronounced /ˈblækbɑl/.
Etymology
From black + ball.