Prohibit

/proʊˈhɪbɪt/

/prəʊˈhɪbɪt/

IPA guide

Other forms: prohibited; prohibiting; prohibits

If a sign says "Swimming Prohibited," don't go for a dip. It's not allowed. To prohibit is to forbid, or to disallow something.

In school, you are prohibited from leaving the premises before the end of the school day. The school administration also prohibits smoking and chewing gum. In 1920, it became illegal to sell alcohol in the United States. This time period when alcohol was prohibited is known as the era of Prohibition. Famously Prohibition did not work. When you prohibit something, you often make it seem more appealing.

Definitions of prohibit

verb
command against

synonyms: disallow, forbid, interdict, nix, proscribe, veto

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types:
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ban
prohibit especially by legal means or social pressure

bar, debar, exclude
prevent from entering; keep out

enjoin
issue an injunction

criminalise, criminalize, illegalise, illegalize, outlaw
declare illegal; outlaw

ban, censor
forbid the public distribution of ( a movie or a newspaper)

type of:
command, require
make someone do something

Pronunciation

/proʊˈhɪbɪt/

/prəʊˈhɪbɪt/

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