embargo
- 01 C1 Advanced
an official government order that stops ships or goods from entering or leaving a country.
an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country, often used as a political sanction.
Simple“The government decided to lift the trade embargo after the peace treaty was signed.”
In context“The international community imposed a strict arms embargo on the regime in an attempt to halt the escalating civil conflict.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a rule that says news or a report cannot be shared with the public until a specific time.
a request or requirement that information provided to the media not be published until a specified date or time.
Simple“The journalists were given the report early, but they had to follow a strict embargo until midnight.”
In context“The scientific journal placed a press embargo on the breakthrough study to ensure all major news outlets released the findings simultaneously.”
Synonyms
“Results day is always governed by strict embargo, but some anxious students got their news early after the University of Surrey accidentally sent out text messages to successful applicants last night.”
“They had, after all, started the season as Championship relegation favourites and operated under a transfer embargo throughout the campaign.”
From Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from late Latin imbarricāre (“to bar”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin barra (“bar, barrier”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.