Definition of prohibition
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
Read the Latest from M-W
Examples of prohibition in a Sentence
the city's prohibition of smoking in restaurants
a prohibition against parking on the street
Recent Examples of prohibition from the Web
-
The Syrian Foreign Ministry in a statement also lashed out at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, saying its investigation has been subjected to political extortion, costing the agency its credibility and impartiality.
-
The prohibition was ignored to ill effect on Aug. 11, 2003, when two workers at PF-4 inhaled plutonium after a sudden reaction between that material, organic cheesecloth, and acid.
-
The report by the group, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said the conclusions were based on evidence that included analysis of victims, environmental samples and witness interviews.
-
With the move Wednesday, the U.S. is stopping short of the complete prohibition that DHS Secretary John Kelly had said was possible.
-
Plus there's only so much that can be accomplished in OTAs and minicamp because of the prohibition against hitting.
-
The prohibition on doing business with the military is significant because since the 1990s, the Cuban military has been taking control of ever larger chunks of the economy, partly because military managers are viewed as more efficient.
-
Although the U.S. lifted the prohibition in 2006, NPCIL is still playing catch-up.
-
It was started by the women who drank in the throes of Prohibition (hence the name cocktail ring).
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prohibition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of prohibition
14th century
Other Drug/Tobacco Terms
controlled, flake, herb, key, sodden
PROHIBITION Defined for English Language Learners
prohibition
playDefinition of prohibition for English Language Learners
-
: the act of not allowing something to be used or done
-
: a law or order that stops something from being used or done
-
Prohibition : the period of time from 1920 to 1933 in the U.S. when it was illegal to make or sell alcohol
PROHIBITION Defined for Kids
prohibition
playDefinition of prohibition for Students
1 : the act of making something illegal or impossible
2 : the forbidding by law of the sale or manufacture of alcoholic liquids for use as beverages
Law Dictionary
prohibition
playLegal Definition of prohibition
1a : 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
2a : 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
prohibitively
adverbLearn More about prohibition
-
See words that rhyme with prohibition Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for prohibition Spanish Central: Translation of prohibition Nglish: Translation of prohibition for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of prohibition for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prohibition
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up prohibition? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!