as in prohibition
an order that something not be done or used
there's a standing embargo against the use of foul language in this house
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to exclude
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of embargo
Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump’s oil embargo on Venezuela is viewed as the central pressure point on Cuba and its governing communist party, which is already facing one of its worst economic crises since coming to power in the 1950s, with its population of 10 million facing crushing food, medicine and energy shortages.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
Michelle Fox, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
The outpouring of support for Qatar after Israel’s attack on a Hamas compound in Doha was notable, given that many of the same countries had embargoed it only a few years ago.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for embargo
Noun
Trump has said previously that the Cuban economy, battered by years of an American embargo, would slide further with the ouster of Maduro.
—Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump’s oil embargo on Venezuela is viewed as the central pressure point on Cuba and its governing communist party, which is already facing one of its worst economic crises since coming to power in the 1950s, with its population of 10 million facing crushing food, medicine and energy shortages.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Archer-Daniels-Midland , Bunge Global — President Donald Trump threatened to embargo cooking oil from China in retaliation for Beijing’s refusal to purchase U.S. soybeans.
—Michelle Fox, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2025
The outpouring of support for Qatar after Israel’s attack on a Hamas compound in Doha was notable, given that many of the same countries had embargoed it only a few years ago.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for embargo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for embargo
Noun
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Furs have come roaring back, despite continued industry prohibitions like bans at brands like Gucci, Prada and Chanel, and restrictions around the depiction of new animal fur in magazines owned by major publishers like Condé Nast, which includes Vogue and Vanity Fair.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
23 Jan. 2026
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This legislation, if adopted, could provide a blueprint for other states on how to effectively end prohibition.—
A.J. Herrington,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trustees also agreed to form a closed-session subcommittee composed of the four board members present, excluding Becerra from participating.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
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Offered at an affordable price by retail outlets (like IKEA and Lidl in Germany), balcony solar kits offer an accessible entry point to renewable energy for lower- and middle-income families who have been historically excluded from solar adoption.—
Calvin Ball,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Johnson announced the Huawei ban in July of that year, having initially approved the use of its equipment.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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Soon after the platform’s acquisition by Elon Musk later that year, West posted an image on X of a swastika inside the Star of David, leading to another temporary ban.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This formula contains niacinamide to help support hair and skin health, ashwagandha extract to soothe, and biotin to help strengthen hair and prevent breakage.—
Andrea Navarro,
Glamour,
29 Jan. 2026
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The yen touched its strongest level since October in US trading Tuesday after comments from Japanese officials, including just recently the finance minister, fueled speculation that the government may intervene in the market to prevent the currency from resuming its decline.—
Mia Glass,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The downside, of course, is that a lack of funding means the creators either need to relegate their work to side-project status while working day jobs or find independent sources of funding, which can shut out more junior creators or those without pre-existing resources.—
Cortney Harding,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Knight, who shut out Winnipeg on Monday night, made 28 saves in regulation and overtime for his second straight win.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
He was ruled out officially after the third quarter.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
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The Patriots did not rule out wide receiver Mack Hollins (abdomen), who is also on IR.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Duke University has sued QB Darian Mensah over his decision to enter the transfer portal, arguing that an NIL contract the school signed with Mensah—who transferred to Duke last year—ought to effectively preclude him from playing college football elsewhere.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Be warned that waiting until after a letter of intent (LOI) is signed often precludes tax mitigation strategies that require long-term structuring.—
John Hall,
Forbes.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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DoorDash has temporarily halted deliveries across Dallas-Fort Worth as a powerful winter storm sweeps across the country, bringing heavy snow and ice to more than 230 million people, according to the company.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
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The packed, standing-room-only crowds drew the fire department’s attention and the show had to be halted one time so a man having a heart attack could be taken out.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Embargo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/embargo. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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