Definition

Noun: A trade embargo is an official government order that prohibits or severely restricts trade with a specific country or region. It is a type of economic sanction used as a foreign policy tool.

Usage

A trade embargo is a formal, legal measure enacted by a government or an international body. It is used to isolate a target nation economically, often to pressure it to change its policies or behavior. The term is typically used in political, economic, and news contexts.

Examples

• The United Nations voted to impose a trade embargo on the nation due to its human rights violations.
• The trade embargo prevented the import of essential goods, crippling the country's economy.
• Lifting the decades-old trade embargo was a major step toward normalizing diplomatic relations.

Advanced Usage

• "To impose/enact/levy a trade embargo": This is the standard phrasing for when a government or organization officially puts an embargo into effect.
  • Example: The council moved to impose a comprehensive trade embargo.
• "To lift/ease a trade embargo": This refers to the action of removing or reducing the restrictions.
  • Example: The president signed an order to lift the trade embargo.

Variants and Related Words

• Embargo (n.): A broader term that can refer to an official ban on trade or other commercial activity. "Trade embargo" is a specific type of embargo.
• Sanction (n.): A general term for punitive measures, which can include trade embargoes, asset freezes, or travel bans.
• Blockade (n.): A physical act of preventing goods or people from entering or leaving a place, often enforced by military means. A blockade is an enforcement mechanism that can be part of an embargo.

Synonyms

• Trade ban
• Trade prohibition
• Economic embargo
• Boycott (though a boycott is often initiated by private groups or individuals, not necessarily a government order)

Antonyms

• Free trade
• Open market

Related Phrases

• "Under a trade embargo": Describes the status of a country that is subject to such restrictions.
  • Example: For years, the island nation lived under a strict trade embargo.

Noun

1. a government order imposing a trade barrier