embargo

An official rule stopping trade with a country or the sale of particular goods to it.

• The trade embargo lasted five years.
• Several countries called for an arms embargo.
• The government lifted its embargo on food exports.

How to use it: embargo on something (The government imposed an embargo on oil exports.); embargo against someone/something (The embargo against the country lasted several years.)

Similar words: trade ban

Common phrases: trade embargo, arms embargo, embargo on something

A temporary rule preventing information from being published before a particular time.

• The results are under embargo.
• Journalists received the report under embargo until noon.
• One website broke the embargo by publishing early.

How to use it: under embargo until a time (The report is under embargo until Friday morning.); embargo on something (The publisher placed an embargo on early reviews.)

Similar words: publication ban

Common phrases: under embargo, news embargo, embargo on publication

A government order preventing ships from leaving a port.

• The embargo kept ships in port.
• Captains waited for the government to lift the embargo.
• An embargo on departures left several vessels stranded.

How to use it: embargo on something (The authorities placed an embargo on all ships in the harbour.)

Common phrases: embargo on ships, port embargo, lift an embargo

To officially stop trade with a country or the sale of certain goods to it.

• The government embargoed oil exports.
• Several countries agreed to embargo military equipment.
• Will they embargo all trade with that country?

How to use it: embargo something (The government decided to embargo arms sales to the region.)

Similar words: ban, prohibit

Common phrases: embargo oil exports, embargo arms sales, embargo trade

To forbid the publication of a document or information until a particular time.

• They embargoed the report until Friday.
• The university embargoes research announcements before their official release.
• Why was the document embargoed for so long?

How to use it: embargo something until a time (They embargoed the announcement until Monday.)

Similar words: withhold

Common phrases: embargo a report, embargo the results, embargo a document