forbid

play

verb for·bid \ fər-ˈbid , fȯr- \

Definition of forbid

forbade play \fər-ˈbad, -ˈbād, fȯr-\ also forbad play \fər-ˈbad, fȯr-\; forbidden play \fər-ˈbi-dᵊn, fȯr-\; forbidding

transitive verb

1 :to proscribe (see proscribe 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.

—

forbidder

noun

See forbid defined for English-language learners

See forbid defined for kids

Examples of forbid in a Sentence

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 of forbid from the Web

Pasta wasn’t forbidden, but zucchini noodles replaced it far more regularly.

— colu henry, Bon Appetit, "I Wrote a Pasta Cookbook and It Totally Messed With My Body Image," 11 Aug. 2017
Among some students and parents, Pollio is known for unsmilingly stalking halls and cafeterias with an eye keen on catching shenanigans, tardy students or forbidden headphones.

— allison ross, The Courier-Journal, "On the job for only a month, acting JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio is making changes," 3 Aug. 2017
Several lawsuits, including one from Democratic lawmakers, accuse Mr Trump of causing harm by violating the constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which forbids American officeholders from accepting money from foreign governments.

— The Economist, "Not one to avoid a conflictHow Donald Trump is monetising his presidency," 20 July 2017
You are also forbidden to be on school district property or at any district events on or off campus during this leave.

— hannah sparling, Cincinnati.com, "Drug charges, search warrants in Goshen teacher case," 19 July 2017
Irina Ratushinskaya, an indomitable Soviet dissident poet and novelist who, after barely surviving nearly four years in a brutal prison camp, delivered a singular woman’s perspective on the forbidding gulag, died on July 5 in Moscow.

— sam roberts, New York Times, "Irina Ratushinskaya, Soviet Dissident and Writer, Dies at 63," 13 July 2017
Some of his contemporaries sold old plumbing parts or fruit and vegetables from pushcarts set up in the middle of Maxwell Street, not far from where that sign now forbids it.

— ron grossman, chicagotribune.com, "As Chicago changes, memory preserves what the bulldozer destroys," 5 July 2017
His mother had forbidden him from riding motorcycles as a boy, so his main exposure was as a teen, attending the Friday night motorcycle races at Gardena’s Ascot Raceway.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Fallbrook retiree a motorcycle racing pioneer," 1 July 2017
And with equal support from Republicans and Democrats, the House overwhelmingly passed a spending bill in 2015 that forbids the use of federal money to block state medical marijuana laws.

— andrew wolfson, The Courier-Journal, "In some states, pot farmers get a free pass. In Kentucky, Cornbread Mafia leader Johnny Boone faces prison," 29 June 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of forbid

Middle English forbidden, from Old English forbēodan, from for- + bēodan to bid — more at bid

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

forbid Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

allow, let, permit, suffer

Related Words

deter, discourage, dissuade; clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress; halt, preclude, prevent, stop; embargo, exclude, rule out, shut out; debar, deprive, disallow, reject, repudiate, veto; bridle, check, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain; block, hinder, impede, obstruct

Near Antonyms

approve, endorse (also indorse), sanction; authorize, license (also licence), warrant; abet, advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, nourish, nurture, promote, support; bid, command, order; abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, tolerate

Synonym Discussion of forbid

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

forbid

adjective

Definition of forbid

archaic

:accursed

he shall live a man forbid
—William Shakespeare

Origin and Etymology of forbid

see ¹forbid

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1606

See Words from the same year

FORBID Defined for English Language Learners

forbid

play

verb

Definition of forbid for English Language Learners

: to order (someone) not to do something
: to say that (something) is not allowed

FORBID Defined for Kids

forbid

play

verb for·bid \ fər-ˈbid \

Definition of forbid for Students

forbade \-ˈbad\; forbidden \-ˈbi-dᵊn\; forbidding

:to order not to do something

I forbid you to go!

Learn More about forbid

See words that rhyme with forbid Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for forbid Spanish Central: Translation of forbid Nglish: Translation of forbid for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of forbid for Arabic speakers

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Origin and Etymology of forbid

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Synonyms

Antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of forbid

forbid

Definition of forbid

Origin and Etymology of forbid

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FORBID Defined for English Language Learners

forbid

Definition of forbid for English Language Learners

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