forbid

verb

for·bid | \ fər-ˈbid

, fȯr-\

forbade\ fər-ˈbad

, -ˈbād , fȯr-

\ also forbad\ fər-ˈbad

, fȯr- \; forbidden\ fər-ˈbi-dᵊn

, fȯr- \; forbidding

Definition of forbid

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to proscribe (see proscribe sense 2) from or as if from the position of one in authority : command against The law forbids stores to sell liquor to minors. Her mother forbids her to go.

2 : to hinder or prevent as if by an effectual command Space forbids further treatment here. Modesty forbids telling what my part was in the affair.

forbid

adjective

Definition of forbid (Entry 2 of 2)

archaic

: accursed he shall live a man forbid— William Shakespeare

Other Words from forbid Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about forbid

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Synonyms & Antonyms for forbid

Synonyms: Verb

ban, bar, enjoin, interdict, outlaw, prohibit, proscribe

Antonyms: Verb

allow, let, permit, suffer

Choose the Right Synonym for forbid

Verb

forbid, prohibit, interdict, inhibit mean to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done. forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected. smoking is forbidden in the building prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations. prohibited the sale of liquor interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose. practices interdicted by the church inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation. conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade

Examples of forbid in a Sentence

Verb

I forbid you to go! She was forbidden by her parents to marry him. She was forbidden from marrying him. The museum forbids flash photography. The company's rules forbid dating among employees.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

According to one of the indictments, the women were required to wear baggy clothing when not around Mr. Kelly and were ordered to keep their heads down, forbidden from looking at other men. — Robert Chiarito, New York Times, "R. Kelly Is Accused of Using Hush Money to Silence Family of Girl in Sex Tape," 12 July 2019 Punishments can include denial of visas and import/export certificates, denying these foreign entities the use of American dollars or even cutting them out of the U.S.’s financial system and forbidding any U.S. party from doing business with them. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "Europe wants to establish a trade conduit with Iran. Here’s what that means," 12 July 2019 Only one other mission—China’s Chang’e-4 spacecraft—has soft-landed in this rugged, forbidding region. — Shekhar Chandra, Scientific American, "What to Expect from India’s Second Moon Mission," 12 July 2019 Until Nansen, most explorers had tried to cross from west to east, from the inhabited side of the island to its forbidding Atlantic coast. — Colin Dickey, The New Republic, "The Secrets in Greenland’s Ice," 11 July 2019 This is already the case in Europe where the European Union forbids gender price discrimination, even though women are statistically better drivers and live longer. — Allison Schrager, Quartz, "In a world awash with information, power comes from knowing what data not to use," 10 July 2019 The law will also forbid employers from asking prospective employees about their salary history, a statement on the governor's website explains. — Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "New York Governor Cuomo signs equal pay bill into law at USWNT World Cup victory parade," 10 July 2019 Making the schools subject to the Open Meetings Act would, in effect, allow the Legislature to rule the universities, something the Constitution forbids. — David Jesse, Detroit Free Press, "Wayne State: We don't have to meet in public, so suit against us should be tossed," 9 July 2019 Nothing happened, even though guidelines that govern behavior on the platform explicitly forbid mocking someone’s physical appearance. — Katy Steinmetz, Time, "Inside Instagram's War on Bullying," 8 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forbid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.