Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate.
Source: wiktionary
Blackball
/ˈblækbɑl/
Synonyms for "blackball" (119 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (24)
banbanishbanishmentblackballingblacklistboycottboycottagecast outcategorically rejectcomplaintcutdeportdim viewdisagreementdisallow
Strong matches (36)
disappointmentdisapprobationdisapprovaldisapprovedisapprove ofdiscontentdiscontentednessdiscontentmentdisenchantmentdisesteemdisfavordisfellowshipdisgruntlementdisillusiondisillusionmentdispleasuredisrespectdissatisfactiondissentdissent from
Show 12 more words
Noun(4 words)
Related words (59)
fugitategrimace atindignationlook askance atlook black uponlow estimationlow opinionnot approvenot go fornot hear ofnot hold withobjectobject toobjectionopposeoppositionopposureostracismostracizationostracize
Show 26 more words
outlawproscribeproscriptionprotestrejectrejectionrelegaterusticatesay no tosend awaysend downsend to coventrysnubspurnsuspendtake exceptiontake exception tothink ill ofthink little ofthrust outthumb downthumbs downthumbs-downtransportunhappinessview with disfavor
Noun(8 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ball, ballot token, ban, ban, banish.
- Sentence evidence is available for blackball, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from opengloss, moby, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "blackball".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "blackball"
Keep "blackball" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "blackball" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "blackball", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "blackball" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
11 entriesballot tokenbar from membershipblack marbleblock appointmentdebar from associationdeny candidacyexcluded applicantformal rejectionformer membermembership bansecret ballot exclusion
Collocations
12 entriesballot tokenbar from membershipblackball a candidateblackball from membershipblackball votedeny candidacyexcluded membermembership exclusionnegative votesecret ballotsecret ballot blackballvote to blackball
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
If you're not from a moneyed, well-connected family, you can count on getting blackballed from the fraternity.
Source: wiktionary
Why, if I had known you all my life I should have grown up in the condition of Adam before the fall, and they would have blackballed me at the clubs.
Source: wiktionary
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.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "blackball"?
Closest matches include ball, ballot token, ban, ban, banish.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "blackball"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.