prohibition
noun
pro·hi·bi·tion
ˌprō-ə-ˈbi-shən 
also
ˌprō-hə-
1
: the act of prohibiting by authority
2
: an order to restrain or stop
3
often capitalized
: the forbidding by law of the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic liquors except for medicinal and sacramental purposes
Examples of prohibition in a Sentence
the city's prohibition of smoking in restaurants
a prohibition against parking on the street
Recent Examples on the Web
The broad prohibition also seems to work against Trump’s stated goal of bringing more jobs to America.
—
Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Some suffragists argued that immigrants opposed suffrage for women and prohibition, and therefore immigrant voting posed a threat to their agenda.
—Time, 19 May 2025
The prohibition has been in force for decades, prompted by the unseemly practice of the legislature going into recess for a few hours during its busiest time, the spring, to allow legislative leaders of both parties to hold fundraising events crowded with lobbyists and their clients.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025
The court indefinitely extended the prohibition on deportations from a north Texas detention facility under the alien enemies law.
—Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prohibition
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Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Some suffragists argued that immigrants opposed suffrage for women and prohibition, and therefore immigrant voting posed a threat to their agenda.
—Time, 19 May 2025
The prohibition has been in force for decades, prompted by the unseemly practice of the legislature going into recess for a few hours during its busiest time, the spring, to allow legislative leaders of both parties to hold fundraising events crowded with lobbyists and their clients.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025
The court indefinitely extended the prohibition on deportations from a north Texas detention facility under the alien enemies law.
—Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prohibition
Cite this Entry
“Prohibition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prohibition. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prohibition
noun
pro·hi·bi·tion
ˌprō-ə-ˈbish-ən
1
: the act of prohibiting
2
: an order forbidding something
3
often capitalized
: the forbidding by law of the sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages
Legal Definition
prohibition
noun
pro·hi·bi·tion
ˌprō-ə-ˈbi-shən
1
a
: an extraordinary writ issued by a higher court commanding an inferior court to keep within its proper jurisdiction (as by ceasing a prosecution)
b
: an order to refrain or stop
2
a
: something (as a law) that prohibits a certain act or procedure
b
capitalized
: the period from 1920 to 1933 in the U.S. when the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic liquors was prohibited by the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
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