BLACKBALLING Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

blackballing

verb

present participle of blackball

as in dismissing

to reject by or as if by a vote he was disappointed to learn that he had been blackballed by the fraternity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of blackballing Social media rumors swirled that the league was blackballing her because of her activism. — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 4 May 2026 Last week, Google made sweepstakes ineligible for advertising certification, effectively blackballing them. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 10 Nov. 2025 In the past, the Young Money rapper has accused Roc Nation of blackballing her and also owing her $200 million. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackballing

Verb

Petersen allegedly deferred to a male sergeant’s expertise on topics including firearms and internal affairs while dismissing Kennon’s expertise in other areas.

— Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026
With the commander-in-chief and defense secretary now dismissing those reports as false, Congress should require a bipartisan committee of former military members to visit the ship.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of dismissing

Verb

Now a new report on the fallout from the investigation into that flyover is rattling the Defense Department and could lead to further delay in replacing the Army leader ousted for refusing to kill the probe.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
After slowly changing the theatrical underworld as the king of midnight movies, Curry spent the rest of his acting career gleefully refusing to be pinned down.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of refusing

Verb

Such attacks are common in Nigeria, where multiple armed groups operate, killing and kidnapping people for ransom.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
Plane crash in Alaska A charter plane carrying eight people crashed near a remote radar site in western Alaska, killing everyone on board.

— Irene Byon, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of killing

Verb

But even if the bill passes both chambers, the White House earlier said that the President’s advisers would recommend vetoing it.

— Chad de Guzman, Time, 27 July 2026
But vetoing the bill could have been politically damaging for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections, with the rising cost of living and housing on the top of voters' minds.

— Joey Garrison, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of vetoing

Browse Nearby Words

blackballed

blackballing

blackballs

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Blackballing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackballing. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of blackballing

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cogent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes