embargo

See also: Embargo and embargó

Languages (20)

English

---

Albanian • Crimean Tatar • Czech • Dutch • Esperanto • Estonian • Finnish • French • Ido • Indonesian • Italian • Latvian • Lithuanian • Polish • Portuguese • Romanian • Slovak • Spanish • Swedish

---

Page categories

English

Etymology

From Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from late Latin *imbarricāre (“to bar”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar, barrier”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈbɑːɡəʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)ɡəʊ

Noun

embargo (plural embargoes or embargos)

1. An order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port.
2. A ban on trade with another country.
   • 2004, Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage:

     Instead he [Jefferson] proposed an embargo, an end to all trade between America and England.

3. A temporary ban on making certain information public.

   This copy of the federal budget is under embargo until 2 p.m.

4. A heavy burden or severe constraint on action or expenditure.
   • 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XXVII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 44:

     They were delighted with the idea of their mamma having forgiven Louisa, but sorry, she thought, such a public proof of her pardon necessary as that of giving a party; for the sisters well knew how great an embargo it would lay on the purses of Helen and Georgiana;...

Synonyms

• (blocking seaport activity): blockade (often metonymically synonymous)

Derived terms

• Bat-embargo
• counterembargo
• embargoist
• preembargo

Translations

an order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port

• Arabic: حَصَار m (ḥaṣār)
• Belarusian: эмба́рга n (embárha), эмба́рга n (embárha)
• Catalan: embargament m, embarg m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 封港令 (fēnggǎnglìng)

• Czech: embargo (cs) n
• Esperanto: embargo (eo)
• Estonian: embargo (et)
• Finnish: saarto (fi)
• French: embargo (fr) m
• German: Embargo (de) n, Beschlagnahme (de) f
• Hebrew: אֶמְבַּרְגּוֹ (he) m (embárgo), חֵרֶם (he) m (khérem)
• Icelandic: hafnbann (is) m
• Ido: embargo (io)
• Japanese: 出港停止 (しゅっこうていし, shukkō teishi)
• Korean: 출항정지(出港停止) (chulhangjeongji)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ambargo (ku)

• Māori: herepū
• Persian: تحریم (fa) (tahrim)
• Polish: embargo (pl) n
• Portuguese: embargo (pt) m, bloqueio (pt) m
• Romanian: embargo (ro) n
• Russian: эмба́рго (ru) n (embárgo), блока́да (ru) f (blokáda)
• Spanish: embargo (es) m
• Swedish: embargo (sv) n
• Tagalog: pagpigil
• Turkish: ambargo (tr)
• Ukrainian: емба́рго n (embárho)

a ban on trade with another country — see also blockade,‎ siege

• Albanian: embargo (sq) f
• Arabic: حَظْر m (ḥaẓr)
• Armenian: բեռնարգելք (hy) (beṙnargelkʻ), էմբարգո (hy) (ēmbargo)
• Azerbaijani: embarqo
• Belarusian: эмба́рга n (embárha)
• Bulgarian: емба́рго n (embárgo)
• Catalan: embargament m, embarg m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 禁運 / 禁运 (zh) (jìnyùn)

• Czech: embargo (cs) n
• Danish: embargo n
• Esperanto: embargo (eo)
• Estonian: embargo (et)
• Faroese: handilsbann n
• Finnish: kauppasaarto (fi)
• French: embargo (fr) m
• Georgian: ემბარგო (embargo)
• German: Embargo (de) n, Ausfuhrsperre f, Handelsverbot (de) m, Handelsembargo n
• Greek: εμπάργκο (el) n (empárgko)
• Hebrew: אֶמְבַּרְגּוֹ (he) m (embárgo), חֵרֶם (he) m (khérem)
• Hindi: प्रतिबंध (hi) m (pratibandh), घाटबंधी f (ghāṭbandhī)
• Hungarian: embargó (hu)
• Icelandic: viðskiptabann n
• Italian: embargo (it) m
• Japanese: 禁輸 (ja) (きんゆ, kin'yu)
• Kazakh: эмбарго (émbargo)
• Khmer: និន្និវារណ៍ (nĭnnĭvéarn៍)
• Korean: 엠바고 (embago), 금수(禁輸) (ko) (geumsu), 금수조치(禁輸措置) (geumsujochi)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ambargo (ku) f

• Kyrgyz: эмбарго (ky) (embargo)
• Latvian: embargo m
• Lithuanian: embargas m
• Macedonian: емба́рго n (embárgo)
• Māori: herepū
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: embargo (no) m

• Persian: تحریم (fa) (tahrim)
• Polish: embargo (pl) n
• Portuguese: embargo (pt) m
• Romanian: embargo (ro) n
• Russian: эмба́рго (ru) n (embárgo)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ѐмба̄рго m

  Latin: èmbārgo (sh) m

• Slovak: embargo (sk) n
• Slovene: embargo m
• Spanish: embargo (es) m
• Swedish: handelsembargo n, embargo (sv) n
• Tagalog: pagpigil
• Tajik: эмбарго (embargo), қадаған (qadaġan), таҳрим (tahrim)
• Thai: การห้ามเรือ, การห้ามสินค้า
• Turkish: ambargo (tr)
• Ukrainian: емба́рго n (embárho)
• Uzbek: embargo (uz)
• Vietnamese: cấm vận (vi)

a temporary ban on making certain information public

• Belarusian: эмба́рга n (embárha)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: julkistamiskielto, embargo (fi)
• French: embargo (fr) m
• German: Verbot (de) n
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: ambargo (ku) f

• Māori: herepū
• Polish: embargo (pl) n
• Russian: эмба́рго (ru) n (embárgo), запре́т (ru) m (zaprét)
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Turkish: ambargo (tr)
• Ukrainian: емба́рго n (embárho)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Italian: ^{(please verify)} embargo (it) m

Verb

embargo (third-person singular simple present embargoes, present participle embargoing, simple past and past participle embargoed)

1. (transitive) To impose an embargo on trading certain goods with another country.
2. (transitive) To impose an embargo on a document.
   • 2023 July 4, “Introduction of the Lease Agreements for Retail Premises Bill”, in Ministry of Trade and Industry‎^[1]:

     Embargoed until after first reading in Parliament

Anagrams

• Bergamo

Albanian

Noun

embargo f

1. embargo

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

From Spanish embargo.

Noun

embargo

1. embargo.

Declension

Declension of embargo

nominative	embargo
genitive	embargonıñ
dative	embargoğa
accusative	embargonı
locative	embargoda
ablative	embargodan

References

• Mirjejev, V. A.; Usejinov, S. M. (2002), Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎^[2], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish embargo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɛmbarɡo]
• Hyphenation: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo n

1. embargo (an order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port)
2. embargo (a ban on trade with another country)

Declension

Declension of embargo (velar neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	embargo	embarga
genitive	embarga	embarg
dative	embargu	embargům
accusative	embargo	embarga
vocative	embargo	embarga
locative	embargu	embargách
instrumental	embargem	embargy

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “embargo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish embargo or French embargo (itself from Spanish), from Spanish embargar (“to arrest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɛmˈbɑr.ɣoː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo n (plural embargo's, diminutive embargootje n)

1. embargo (order prohibiting ships from leaving port)
2. embargo (ban on trade with another country)

   Synonym: handelsembargo

3. embargo (temporary ban or restriction on making certain information public)

Derived terms

• handelsembargo

Descendants

• Afrikaans: embargo
• → Indonesian: embargo

Esperanto

Etymology

Ultimately from Spanish embargo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /emˈbarɡo/
• Rhymes: -arɡo
• Syllabification: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo (accusative singular embargon, plural embargoj, accusative plural embargojn)

1. embargo

   Usono instalis embargon kontraŭ Kubo antaŭ pli ol 60 jaroj.

   The United States established an embargo against Cuba more than 60 years ago.

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “embargo”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Estonian

Etymology

From Spanish embargo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /emˈb̥ɑrɡ̊o/, [emˈb̥ɑrɡ̊o]
• Rhymes: -ɑrɡo
• Hyphenation: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo (genitive embargo, partitive embargot)

1. embargo (ban on the export or import of goods)
2. embargo (order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port)

Declension

Declension of embargo (ÕS type 16/pere, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		embargo	embargod
accusative	nom.
	gen.	embargo
genitive			embargode
partitive		embargot	embargosid
illative		embargosse	embargodesse
inessive		embargos	embargodes
elative		embargost	embargodest
allative		embargole	embargodele
adessive		embargol	embargodel
ablative		embargolt	embargodelt
translative		embargoks	embargodeks
terminative		embargoni	embargodeni
essive		embargona	embargodena
abessive		embargota	embargodeta
comitative		embargoga	embargodega

Compounds

• relvaembargo

References

• embargo in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)
• “embargo”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009

Finnish

Etymology

From Spanish embargo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈembɑrɡo/, [ˈe̞mbɑ̝rɡo̞]
• Rhymes: -embɑrɡo
• Syllabification^(key): em‧bar‧go
• Hyphenation^(key): em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo

1. embargo

Declension

Inflection of embargo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		embargo	embargot
genitive		embargon	embargojen
partitive		embargoa	embargoja
illative		embargoon	embargoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		embargo	embargot
accusative	nom.	embargo	embargot
	gen.	embargon
genitive		embargon	embargojen
partitive		embargoa	embargoja
inessive		embargossa	embargoissa
elative		embargosta	embargoista
illative		embargoon	embargoihin
adessive		embargolla	embargoilla
ablative		embargolta	embargoilta
allative		embargolle	embargoille
essive		embargona	embargoina
translative		embargoksi	embargoiksi
abessive		embargotta	embargoitta
instructive		—	embargoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of embargo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative embargoni embargoni accusative nom. embargoni embargoni gen. embargoni genitive embargoni embargojeni partitive embargoani embargojani inessive embargossani embargoissani elative embargostani embargoistani illative embargooni embargoihini adessive embargollani embargoillani ablative embargoltani embargoiltani allative embargolleni embargoilleni essive embargonani embargoinani translative embargokseni embargoikseni abessive embargottani embargoittani instructive — — comitative — embargoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative embargosi embargosi accusative nom. embargosi embargosi gen. embargosi genitive embargosi embargojesi partitive embargoasi embargojasi inessive embargossasi embargoissasi elative embargostasi embargoistasi illative embargoosi embargoihisi adessive embargollasi embargoillasi ablative embargoltasi embargoiltasi allative embargollesi embargoillesi essive embargonasi embargoinasi translative embargoksesi embargoiksesi abessive embargottasi embargoittasi instructive — — comitative — embargoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative embargomme embargomme accusative nom. embargomme embargomme gen. embargomme genitive embargomme embargojemme partitive embargoamme embargojamme inessive embargossamme embargoissamme elative embargostamme embargoistamme illative embargoomme embargoihimme adessive embargollamme embargoillamme ablative embargoltamme embargoiltamme allative embargollemme embargoillemme essive embargonamme embargoinamme translative embargoksemme embargoiksemme abessive embargottamme embargoittamme instructive — — comitative — embargoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative embargonne embargonne accusative nom. embargonne embargonne gen. embargonne genitive embargonne embargojenne partitive embargoanne embargojanne inessive embargossanne embargoissanne elative embargostanne embargoistanne illative embargoonne embargoihinne adessive embargollanne embargoillanne ablative embargoltanne embargoiltanne allative embargollenne embargoillenne essive embargonanne embargoinanne translative embargoksenne embargoiksenne abessive embargottanne embargoittanne instructive — — comitative — embargoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative embargonsa embargonsa accusative nom. embargonsa embargonsa gen. embargonsa genitive embargonsa embargojensa partitive embargoaan embargoansa embargojaan embargojansa inessive embargossaan embargossansa embargoissaan embargoissansa elative embargostaan embargostansa embargoistaan embargoistansa illative embargoonsa embargoihinsa adessive embargollaan embargollansa embargoillaan embargoillansa ablative embargoltaan embargoltansa embargoiltaan embargoiltansa allative embargolleen embargollensa embargoilleen embargoillensa essive embargonaan embargonansa embargoinaan embargoinansa translative embargokseen embargoksensa embargoikseen embargoiksensa abessive embargottaan embargottansa embargoittaan embargoittansa instructive — — comitative — embargoineen embargoinensa

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃.baʁ.ɡo/

• Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Noun

embargo m (plural embargos)

1. embargo

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Ido

Noun

embargo (plural embargi)

1. embargo

Indonesian

Etymology

From Dutch embargo, from Spanish embargo or French embargo (itself from Spanish), from Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin *barra.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɛmˈbarɡo]
• Hyphenation: èm‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo (plural embargo-embargo)

1. embargo:
   1. an order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port
   2. a ban on trade with another country
   3. a temporary ban on making certain information public

Derived terms

• mengembargo
• pengembargo

• embargo militer
• embargo senjata

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /emˈbar.ɡo/
• Rhymes: -arɡo
• Hyphenation: em‧bàr‧go

Noun

embargo m (plural embarghi)

1. embargo

Anagrams

• Bergamo, gambero

Latvian

Noun

embargo m (^??? please provide the declension type!)

1. embargo

Lithuanian

Noun

embárgo

1. genitive singular of embárgas

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Spanish embargobor.

Polish embargo

Borrowed from Spanish embargo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛmˈbar.ɡɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -arɡɔ
• Syllabification: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo n

1. embargo (order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port)
2. embargo (ban on trade with another country)
3. embargo (temporary ban on making certain information public)

Declension

Declension of embargo

	singular	plural
nominative	embargo	embarga
genitive	embarga	embarg
dative	embargu	embargom
accusative	embargo	embarga
instrumental	embargiem	embargami
locative	embargu	embargach
vocative	embargo	embarga

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[4] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “embargo”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[5] (in Polish)

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /ẽˈbaʁ.ɡu/ [ẽˈbaɦ.ɡu], (natural pronunciation) /ĩˈbaʁ.ɡu/ [ĩˈbaɦ.ɡu]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /ẽˈbaʁ.ɡu/ [ẽˈbaɦ.ɡu], (natural pronunciation) /ĩˈbaʁ.ɡu/ [ĩˈbaɦ.ɡu]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /ẽˈbaɾ.ɡu/, (natural pronunciation) /ĩˈbaɾ.ɡu/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /ẽˈbaʁ.ɡu/, (natural pronunciation) /ĩˈbaʁ.ɡu/
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /ẽˈbaɻ.ɡu/, (natural pronunciation) /ĩˈbaɻ.ɡu/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /ẽˈbaʁ.ɡo/ [ẽˈbaɦ.ɡo], (natural pronunciation) /ĩˈbaʁ.ɡo/ [ĩˈbaɦ.ɡo]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ẽˈbaɾ.ɡu/ [ẽˈbaɾ.ɣu]

• Hyphenation: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo m (plural embargos)

1. embargo (an order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port)
2. embargo (a ban on trade with another country)

Derived terms

• sem embargo

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “embargo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French embargo.

Noun

embargo n (plural embargouri)

1. embargo

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	embargo	embargoul	embargouri	embargourile
genitive-dative	embargo	embargoului	embargouri	embargourilor
vocative	embargoule		embargourilor

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /embarɡɔ/, [ˈembarɡɔ]
• Rhymes: -arɡɔ
• Hyphenation: em‧bar‧go

Noun

embargo n

1. embargo

Declension

Declension of embargo
(pattern mesto)

	singular	plural
nominative	embargo	embargá
genitive	embarga	embárg
dative	embargu	embargám
accusative	embargo	embargá
locative	embargu	embargách
instrumental	embargom	embargami

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /emˈbaɾɡo/ [ẽmˈbaɾ.ɣ̞o]
• Rhymes: -aɾɡo
• Syllabification: em‧bar‧go

Etymology 1

Deverbal from embargar.

Noun

embargo m (plural embargos)

1. embargo
2. trade embargo
3. distraint
4. seizure, freezing (juridical detention of goods)
5. foreclosure
6. repossession

Derived terms

• sin embargo

Etymology 2

Verb

embargo

1. first-person singular present indicative of embargar

Further reading

• “embargo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Noun

embargo n

1. embargo

Declension

Declension of embargo

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	embargo	embargos
	definite	embargot	embargots
plural	indefinite	embargon	embargons
	definite	embargona	embargonas

Derived terms

• handelsembargo
• oljeembargo
• vapenembargo

References

• “embargo”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “embargo”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “embargo”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)