BANNED Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

banned 1 of 2

adjective

as in prohibited

that may not be permitted at one time books, movies, and plays could use "banned in Boston" as a selling point

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banned

2 of 2

verb

past tense of ban

as in outlawed

to order not to do or use or to be done or used the company absolutely bans smoking within its buildings

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as in excluded

to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of the university banned those caught in the cheating scandal from graduation ceremonies

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of banned

Verb

They were also placed on felony probation for three years and banned from performing any mining work during that time. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Schools banned its use, and journalists were shamed for credulously repeating its hoaxes. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026 Texas has permanently banned a fan from attending Longhorns home football games after he was seen flipping off several Florida Gators players in Austin on Saturday. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 In response, Moscow banned exports in July to preserve domestic supplies. — Spencer Kimball,deena Zaidi, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 The Left Book Club also had its subscribers and discussion groups in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, though Left News was banned in India. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 California and Hawaii, for example, are two states that have banned sharing deceptive AI content about candidates in the months around an election. — Jordi Calvet-Bademunt, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026 That question has been the subject of litigation brought by the Associated Press last year after the White House banned it from the pool and access to the Oval Office and other areas. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026 The British government banned the group in July 2025, proscribing it as a terrorist organization. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for banned

Adjective

Their alternating stories portray a Europe that exploits gifted children, while rigid class and gender expectations leave both protagonists struggling to pursue forbidden ambitions.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
As a forbidden attraction grows between the two men, tragedy unleashes supernatural forces upon their deeply religious community.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of forbidden

Verb

Using the history of gay male desire in different time periods — dangerous, clandestine, outlawed and at long last fitfully accepted — the film examines legacy and what gets handed down across time.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
None of the other states that have passed constitutional amendments protecting the ability to hunt and fish have had specific hunting methods outlawed by the voters, as Colorado has.

— Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of outlawed

Verb

Albert Ramdin, secretary general of the Organization of American States, also has said that candidates with criminal ties should be barred from running.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
In addition to being barred from ever owning livestock again, Barr’s plea agreement prevents him from owning or living with any type of animal for 15 years, according to PETA.

— Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of barred

Verb

Reservoirs have already fallen perilously low -- with one lake so dry this year that a small town nearby let its Little League field go dry and temporarily forbade residents from washing cars or watering lawns.

— Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
For decades, the United States favored an international order that forbade wars of conquest, upheld freedom of the seas, maintained a generally open global economy, and allowed populations to exercise democratic rights, even if autocracies remained.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of forbade

Verb

Although a version of psychopathy was included in prior editions of the DSM, more recent editions have eliminated the diagnosis.

— David DeMatteo, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Bersten, who is filling in this week as Dewan’s partner, was previously paired with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis before they were eliminated earlier in the season.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of eliminated

Verb

That strike prevented the landing of an Iranian flight carrying a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of Iran’s supreme leader, who had been killed in the opening strikes of the war in February.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
The wild swing of events gave the Wildcats (5-1, 2-1) their first Big Ten road victory this season and prevented Fitzgerald from getting his first conference victory as the coach at Michigan State (2-5, 0-4).

— Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026