1
as in prohibits
to order not to do or use or to be done or used
the company absolutely bans smoking within its buildings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excludes
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of
the university banned those caught in the cheating scandal from graduation ceremonies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curses
a prayer that harm will come to someone
a father's ban upon his ungrateful son
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prohibitions
an order that something not be done or used
a quiet seaside resort with a ban on the drinking of alcohol in public places
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bans
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
The policy prohibits collective punishment — such as taking recess away from an entire class because of a few students' behavior — and bans silent lunches, a practice some students said felt unfair.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
The order blocks for now a state law that bans automatic parental notification requirements if students change their pronouns or gender expression at school.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
The bill also bans cities from adopting policies that discourage enforcement of the ban.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
On Wednesday, City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos announced that Marquez and South East have been removed from the Open Division playoffs because of ineligible players that violated CIF bylaw 600, which bans players from participating in outside leagues during the season of their sport.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
The executive order bans non-essential motor vehicle travel in Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable and Dukes counties, which includes Martha's Vineyard.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Healey’s executive order bans non-essential motor vehicle travel in Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable counties until the blizzard ends and road conditions improve.
—Todd Prussman, Boston Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Continue reading … IN OTHER NEWS NIGHTLIFE NIGHTMARE — Vacation hot spot bans alcohol sales during key hours in sweeping new crackdown.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
As Netflix and other streamers increased their feature film ambitions, iPic was among the exhibitors who would book their films, in contrast to longstanding bans at AMC, Regal, Cinemark and other major chains.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
Countries like Australia are enforcing social media bans for people under age 16, while Meta is currently on trial for claims of intentionally creating an addictive environment for children on its platforms.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Her love of books inspired her to open a bookstore in Gainesville in 2024 called The Lynx – its name a pun about the building of bonds within the community – in reaction to Governor Ron DeSantis’ encouragement of book bans in schools and libraries.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
By 2009, Los Angeles, San Francisco and several other California cities issued bans.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Funds — and bans — in Georgia schools Two bills in education, HB 1193 and HB 1009, were passed in the House.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
A number of communities — including New Bedford, Fall River, Brockton and others — still had local travel restrictions and parking bans in place, as of Tuesday evening, after being hit with more than 30 inches of snow.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Governors in eight states and several major cities had declared states of emergency, and at the height of the storm, bans on nonessential travel were in place for New Jersey, the New York City area and parts of Massachusetts.
—Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Verb
Book bans themselves remain a unicorn in Chicago.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
The policy prohibits collective punishment — such as taking recess away from an entire class because of a few students' behavior — and bans silent lunches, a practice some students said felt unfair.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
The order blocks for now a state law that bans automatic parental notification requirements if students change their pronouns or gender expression at school.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
The bill also bans cities from adopting policies that discourage enforcement of the ban.
—Kaitlin Lange, IndyStar, 2 Mar. 2026
On Wednesday, City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos announced that Marquez and South East have been removed from the Open Division playoffs because of ineligible players that violated CIF bylaw 600, which bans players from participating in outside leagues during the season of their sport.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
The executive order bans non-essential motor vehicle travel in Bristol, Plymouth, Barnstable and Dukes counties, which includes Martha's Vineyard.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Healey’s executive order bans non-essential motor vehicle travel in Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable counties until the blizzard ends and road conditions improve.
—Todd Prussman, Boston Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Continue reading … IN OTHER NEWS NIGHTLIFE NIGHTMARE — Vacation hot spot bans alcohol sales during key hours in sweeping new crackdown.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
Those cities enacted bans on single-plastic straws and stirrers, to require restaurants and businesses to be environmentally friendly by using paper straws instead.
—Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
As Netflix and other streamers increased their feature film ambitions, iPic was among the exhibitors who would book their films, in contrast to longstanding bans at AMC, Regal, Cinemark and other major chains.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
Countries like Australia are enforcing social media bans for people under age 16, while Meta is currently on trial for claims of intentionally creating an addictive environment for children on its platforms.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
Her love of books inspired her to open a bookstore in Gainesville in 2024 called The Lynx – its name a pun about the building of bonds within the community – in reaction to Governor Ron DeSantis’ encouragement of book bans in schools and libraries.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
By 2009, Los Angeles, San Francisco and several other California cities issued bans.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Funds — and bans — in Georgia schools Two bills in education, HB 1193 and HB 1009, were passed in the House.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
A number of communities — including New Bedford, Fall River, Brockton and others — still had local travel restrictions and parking bans in place, as of Tuesday evening, after being hit with more than 30 inches of snow.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
Governors in eight states and several major cities had declared states of emergency, and at the height of the storm, bans on nonessential travel were in place for New Jersey, the New York City area and parts of Massachusetts.
—Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bans
Verb
-
Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, prohibits children under 13 from using its platforms, but some manage to sign up anyway.—
MORGAN LEE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The 21-page agreement prohibits the gathering or publication of any information that is not authorized by the government, including declassified information and off-the-record conversations, whether obtained on or off Pentagon grounds.—
Gary Grumbach,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Givens filed a court petition to issue a temporary restraining order against Dallas County commissioners from rewarding judges with a collective $500,000 in supplemental pay because the payment plan excludes her.—
Steve Pickett,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Senate Bill 26-115 excludes a number of convictions from automatically qualifying for the process — including first-degree murder — but allows for district attorneys to bring a petition for any prisoner at the prosecution’s discretion.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pay multiple people from the crafts site Etsy to perform tarot readings, lift any existing curses and otherwise engage in witchcraft.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Indeed, various curses and slurs could be heard shouted from the audience at London's Royal Festival Hall, even during some segments broadcast to audiences in England and abroad.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Of course, all of this discussion rests on the belief that contractual prohibitions are the load-bearing factor for preventing an AI system from being used for mass domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2026
-
China’s new tech elite is expected to keep a low profile, however, given prohibitions on public displays of wealth, and the omnipresent threat of US sanctions.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
My job forbids employees from smoking weed.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Venus’ connection with Uranus forbids it!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Texas law bars the use of state resources for political campaigns and prohibits government officials from using public funds for political advertising.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Mar. 2026
-
The Supreme Court seemed likely Monday to loosen a federal law that bars marijuana users from owning guns in a case that crossed typical political lines.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
By banning federal agencies from considering systemic racism or equity in AI development, the order effectively outlaws the very efforts needed to fix these problems.—
Joel Bervell,
Time,
14 Nov. 2025
-
North Carolina The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Commission outlaws the sale of alcoholic beverages through happy hour promotions.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This helps your child learn to soothe themselves to sleep and prevents bedtime problems down the line.—
Barrie Gillies,
Parents,
9 Mar. 2026
-
This layer prevents water, nutrients, and air from reaching the roots.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bans. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
