How to pronounce blackball
Say it like BLAK-bahl. Blackball has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BLAK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce blackball. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BLAK
- bahl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Blackball pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BLAKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- bahlKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of blackball
American and British speakers say blackball in essentially the same way: /ˈblækbɑl/ in the US and /ˈblækbɔːl/ in the UK.
British respelling: BLAK-bawl.
What does blackball mean?
- A rejection; a vote against admitting someone.
- A black ball used to indicate such a negative vote.“Regardless how many other people may have voted to approve a candidate for membership, a single blackball will reject the candidate.”
- A kind of large black sweet, a black-colored gobstopper.
- To vote against, especially in an exclusive organization.“If you're not from a moneyed, well-connected family, you can count on getting blackballed from the fraternity.”
- To ostracize.
Where does blackball come from?
From black + ball.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying blackball
How do you pronounce blackball?
Say BLAK-bahl. The American pronunciation is /ˈblækbɑl/. In British English it is /ˈblækbɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in blackball?
Blackball has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (BLAK). Broken into parts: BLAK · bahl.
Do Americans and Brits say blackball the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈblækbɑl/ and the British form is /ˈblækbɔːl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.