Spanish word

embargo

Pronunciation

IPA/emˈbaɾɣo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounembargo

Example

Varios países impusieron un embargo contra ese país.

Several countries imposed an embargo on that country.

Illustration for embargo (embargo)

More examples

Por el embargo económico, muchas empresas perdieron contratos internacionales.

Due to the economic embargo, many companies lost international contracts.

Core concept

Barred port entrance blocking ships and cargo.

Common phrases

  • embargo económico

    economic embargo

  • embargo a la importación

    import embargo

Similar words

bloqueo: Sealing of a port or border to prevent ships, vehicles, people, and goods from passing.
sanción: Economic measure imposed on a country as punishment, restricting finance or commerce.
boicot: Collective refusal by consumers or states to buy or use certain products to create economic pressure.
prohibición: Legal prohibition that forbids a specific thing or action by law or official order.

Definition in Spanish

Medida oficial que bloquea o prohíbe el comercio con un país o entidad; también se aplica a la congelación de bienes por orden judicial y a la restricción temporal de difusión informativa.

Word origin

Spanish embargo comes from embargar and medieval Latin imbarricare 'to bar' (from barra), originally 'block with a bar' and later used for trade bans, asset freezes and press restrictions.

Usage tips

  • Property seizure is expressed with the verb embargar (e.g., embargar bienes), while trade bans use the noun phrase embargo comercial, so Spanish uses different constructions for seizures and bans.

Other meanings

  • seizurenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • embargarseizeverb
  • embargableseizableadjective
  • embargadoseizedadjective

Word lists with this word