prohibitive

1 of 2

adjective

pro·​hib·​i·​tive prō-ˈhi-bə-tiv 

prə-

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

prohibitiveness

2 of 2

noun

pro·​hib·​i·​tive·​ness

-ivnə̇s

plural -es

: the quality or state of being prohibitive

Examples of prohibitive in a Sentence

Adjective

the prohibitive cost of rent

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For some, the cost becomes prohibitive. — Luis Contreras, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026

And will the acquisition cost be prohibitive in a climate where so many teams are trying to add, driving up the asking price? — James Mirtle, New York Times, 30 June 2026

But costs are becoming prohibitive. — Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 26 June 2026

Only easy patients got good care, because time-consuming workups or expensive tests—let alone innovation—were prohibitive. — Melanie Thernstrom, New Yorker, 29 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prohibitive

• inhibitive

Kids Definition

prohibitive

adjective

pro·​hib·​i·​tive prō-ˈhib-ət-iv 

: likely to discourage use or purchase

prohibitive prices

prohibitively adverb