# embargo

/ɛmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/ (US) · /ɛmbˈɑːɡəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/embargo
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. trade ban

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

an official government order that stops ships or goods from entering or leaving a country.

For teachers: an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country, often used as a political sanction.

- The government decided to lift the trade embargo after the peace treaty was signed.
- The international community imposed a strict arms embargo on the regime in an attempt to halt the escalating civil conflict.

### 2. information delay

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a rule that says news or a report cannot be shared with the public until a specific time.

For teachers: a request or requirement that information provided to the media not be published until a specified date or time.

- The journalists were given the report early, but they had to follow a strict embargo until midnight.
- The scientific journal placed a press embargo on the breakthrough study to ensure all major news outlets released the findings simultaneously.

## Examples

- The government lifted the trade embargo after the peace treaty.
- International leaders debated whether to impose a strict oil embargo to pressure the regime into ending the conflict.
- The decades-long economic embargo significantly hindered the nation's industrial development, leading to a chronic shortage of specialized medical equipment and modern technological infrastructure.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.