variants
also forbad
as in prohibited
to order not to do or use or to be done or used
smoking is forbidden throughout the building we forbid you to see him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 forbade
And the Trotskyites were so much better at beating the Stalinists in argument, the Stalinists, in true Stalinist fashion, forbade their members from debating with the Trotskyites.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
States often screen their Medicaid rolls to exclude families who have begun earning too much money to qualify, but Congress rightly forbade that during the pandemic.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026
As a Manhattan native, public school league rules forbade Powell from playing for a school outside the borough.
—Luke Cyphers, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
As punishment, the pope forbade the city’s citizens from selling their textiles, plunging them into poverty.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
Antiochus forbade Jews to practice their religion and demanded all copies of the Jewish Law be burned.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Utilities were stuck with the headache and expense of storing waste themselves, so in 2014, a judge forbade the federal government from continuing to collect the NWF fees.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The officials forbade her from telling others about the nondisclosure agreement itself and made her promise to never pursue legal action.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The law that banned whale captivity did not apply to the existing population of captive whales at Marineland, but the park had to comply with another part of the law that forbade breeding.
—CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
David Frum, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
States often screen their Medicaid rolls to exclude families who have begun earning too much money to qualify, but Congress rightly forbade that during the pandemic.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026
As a Manhattan native, public school league rules forbade Powell from playing for a school outside the borough.
—Luke Cyphers, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2026
As punishment, the pope forbade the city’s citizens from selling their textiles, plunging them into poverty.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
Antiochus forbade Jews to practice their religion and demanded all copies of the Jewish Law be burned.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Utilities were stuck with the headache and expense of storing waste themselves, so in 2014, a judge forbade the federal government from continuing to collect the NWF fees.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
The officials forbade her from telling others about the nondisclosure agreement itself and made her promise to never pursue legal action.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
The law that banned whale captivity did not apply to the existing population of captive whales at Marineland, but the park had to comply with another part of the law that forbade breeding.
—CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbade
Verb
-
The import of humanitarian aid or goods through Rafah remains prohibited.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Parking along Oakland Avenue will be prohibited during construction and some short-term water shut-offs will also occur as needed.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Brockman pointed to the situation 10 years ago when Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo organizers banned the Virginia battle flag, more commonly known as the Confederate flag, from being displayed in the All Western Parade.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Rare earths are vital for defense and the energy transition, but China accounts for about three-fifths of global mining and 91% of refined output, and, after a recent diplomatic spat, Beijing banned exports of some products to Japan.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The effort by the territory's Black business leaders fueled a national debate about Black suffrage, and eventually Congress outlawed any territory from denying voting rights to men on the basis of race.—
Anna Alejo,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Even in the North, these people, formerly enslaved, were not necessarily free, even if slavery was outlawed.—
Jesse Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forbade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbade. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
