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
From the M-W Editors
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
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The water authority is well aware of the requirements of the Brown Act and to its knowledge fully complies with its requirements, including prohibitions against ad seriatim meetings designed to achieve collective concurrence.
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The city has a colorful past associated with organized crime during the Prohibition days in the early 20th century.
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Maybe the one person who could fix this will step in and pressure his party to end the idiocy that is marijuana prohibition.
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Adam was already committing much of his day to gaming, having learned to outwit the prohibitions imposed by his increasingly worried parents.
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Jeremy Truex, co-owner of a tavern located in an unincorporated part of Lombard, is among those who think the prohibition should be removed.
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Judge Jackson based his ruling on a 2012 Supreme Court decision in an Alabama case that found the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment barred juveniles from being sentenced to life in prison without parole.
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The relevant case law, concerning the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and usual punishment, came down after Malvo was originally sentenced.
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Many of Indiana's booze laws date back to prohibition, filling a thick book that governs everything from how alcohol can be advertised to which types of retailers are allowed to sell cold beer.
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
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: the act of not allowing something to be used or done
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: a law or order that stops something from being used or done
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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
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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
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