prohibitive

adjective

pro·​hib·​i·​tive prō-ˈhi-bə-tiv How to pronounce prohibitive (audio)
prə-
Synonyms of prohibitivenext
1
: tending to prohibit or restrain
2
: tending to preclude use or purchase
prohibitive costs
3
: almost certain to perform as predicted
a prohibitive favorite
prohibitively adverb
prohibitiveness noun

Examples of prohibitive in a Sentence

the prohibitive cost of rent
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, that flipped Thursday evening, with Kalshi now putting Warsh as a prohibitive 80% favorite. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026 Demand is growing, and tour operators are adapting offerings to meet it, including specialized tours for singles and adjustments to historically prohibitive pricing practices. Peter McGraw, The Conversation, 23 Jan. 2026 In one survey of large enterprises, more than half of AI projects never make it past pilot, often because weak ideas linger until the costs of reversing them become politically or technically prohibitive. Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026 Still, giving him this kind of money is prohibitive for everyone but the Dodgers. Chris Branch, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prohibitive

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prohibitive was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Prohibitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prohibitive. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

prohibitive

adjective
pro·​hib·​i·​tive prō-ˈhib-ət-iv How to pronounce prohibitive (audio)
: likely to discourage use or purchase
prohibitive prices
prohibitively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on prohibitive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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