What does blacklisted mean?
Blacklisted describes the state of having been placed on a list of people, organizations, or things to be shunned, punished, or excluded. The term is almost always negative: a worker who is blacklisted may find themselves shut out of an industry, a country blacklisted for sanctions may lose access to international trade, and a website blacklisted by security software becomes unreachable to users. Historically, the practice dates back centuries, with employers keeping lists of troublesome workers and governments barring disloyal citizens. In modern usage the word appears across many domains, from Hollywood's anti-communist blacklist of the mid-twentieth century to contemporary email spam filters and financial compliance lists. Grammatically, 'blacklisted' functions as both the past tense and past participle of the verb 'to blacklist' and as an adjective describing something already subject to exclusion. Its opposite is 'whitelisted,' meaning approved or allowed, making the two terms useful contrasts in discussions of access, trust, and reputation.
To have been placed on a list of individuals, groups, or entities to be avoided, banned, or penalized.
"He was blacklisted by every major studio after his political views became public."
Almost always used passively; rarely used transitively in this inflected form.
Describing someone or something that has been excluded or barred by virtue of appearing on such a list.
"The blacklisted author struggled to find a publisher willing to take the risk."
The word comes from a literal list — English plantation owners in the 1600s reportedly kept a 'black list' of workers who caused trouble, turning ink into punishment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of blacklisted
The term derives from 'blacklist,' which emerged in seventeenth-century English, combining 'black' (Old English blæc) with 'list.' The compound originally referred to lists of people deemed disreputable or punishable, notably used in labor disputes where employers circulated names of agitators. The verb form developed from the noun, and 'blacklisted' is simply its past-tense and participial form. Related formations include 'whitelist,' coined later as its antonym.
Related word forms
How blacklisted is actually used
Carries strongly negative connotations; typically used in passive constructions ('was blacklisted'). Common in contexts of employment, politics, finance, and technology/security.
Easily confused with blacklisted
'Blackballed' refers specifically to being voted against for membership in a club or organization, while 'blacklisted' means being put on a broader list of those to be avoided or barred.