black list

1. A list of persons or things considered undesirable or deserving punishment, as in Japanese beetles are on my black list of garden pests. The practice of making such lists is quite old. Notorious examples include the late 19th-century black lists of union members whom employers would not hire and the black lists of persons suspected of being Communists as a result of the hearings held by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy in the early 1950s. Today the term is also used more loosely, as in the example. [Early 1600s] Also see black book, def. 1.

Example Sentences

“We are a group of people who I consider had the bad luck of ending up on this black list,” he said.

From Salon

"Incredibly sad news about the passing of Uriah Rennie. A Black pioneering referee and leader in the game," said Leon Mann, co-founder of the Football Black List.

From BBC

After it topped the Black List of industry-favorite unproduced screenplays over a decade ago, the film entered production in 2013 before falling apart and sitting in purgatory for years after.

From Salon

Tributes were also given to Franklin Leonard, founder of the screenplay platform Black List; the “Maria” star Angelina Jolie; and the casts of “The Piano Lesson” and “Sing Sing.”

From New York Times

In March, she received the Keith Alexander award from the Football Black List in recognition of her achievements as a pioneer and just two months later was given a lifetime achievement award at the 2024 Women's Football Awards.

From BBC

Related Words

• censure 
• criticism 
• denunciation 
• discontent 
• dislike 
• displeasure 
• dissatisfaction 
• objection