1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted
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2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
told us in a forbidding voice to stop calling him by that name
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in prohibiting
the act of ordering that something not be done or used
the landlord's forbidding of loud music after 10:00 p.m.
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as in banning
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forbidding
Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
And if his forbidding tone wasn't enough to kill the joking mood inside the transport, the school bus blocking the road in front of them finishes the job.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 5 May 2025
Charles Hammer, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025
During the Napoleonic wars, Jefferson signed the Embargo Act of 1807, forbidding trade with France and Britain so the countries would have to respect America’s neutrality in the conflict.
—Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Adjective
Resilience was targeting the top of the moon, a less forbidding place than the shadowy bottom.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
And if his forbidding tone wasn't enough to kill the joking mood inside the transport, the school bus blocking the road in front of them finishes the job.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 5 May 2025
Verb
Sarah entered Cuba on a family visa and met her brother in the country, cursed since 1960 — cursed for 65 years — by an embargo forbidding Cuban trade and nearly everything else with American interests.
—Charles Hammer, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025
During the Napoleonic wars, Jefferson signed the Embargo Act of 1807, forbidding trade with France and Britain so the countries would have to respect America’s neutrality in the conflict.
—Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbidding
Adjective
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These shifting climates intimately shaped the biosphere over this span (and vice versa), and in occasional terrifying pulses, threatened to end it.—
Peter Brannen,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
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That was a terrifying last four days.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Panday plays a convincingly gruff tortured artist alongside Padda’s struggling ingenue, and most of the screen time is devoted to their pairing instead of introducing tertiary excess.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
13 Sep. 2025
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The barbs were frequently aimed at the gruff owner of Mel’s Diner played by the late Vic Tayback.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Vail passed an ordinance prohibiting delivery trucks from entering Vail Village and Lionshead Village, to make those areas friendlier to pedestrians.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
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Even if Florida’s law prohibiting open carry were nullified, state law still bars people from carrying firearms in any capacity to certain places, including police stations, courthouses, polling places and college campuses.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The frightening illness took place just two weeks after he was named MVP of his little league baseball team.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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As the frightening futures foretold grow nearer, the details are also growing more precise.—
Zack Savitsky,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Is this event also a way to make World and the Orb feel more approachable and less intimidating to the public, especially those skeptical of getting their eyes scanned?—
Tanya Benedicto Klich,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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For starters, the Nittany Lions play their home games at Beaver Stadium, which can be an intimidating place with seating for 106,572 fans.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Even after that prohibition was lifted on Tuesday, and the resignations of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, the unrest escalated.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
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During a June meeting, the board of trustees unanimously agreed to revise the policy and remove the prohibition on overnight protesting and other expressive activities.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And though a state law banning public sleeping took effect almost a year ago, this summer’s tally of the county’s street-sleeping residents was the highest since August 2022.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Ada County Commission on Wednesday recommended banning solar power projects on large parts of Ada County land, a win for Idahoans worried about rural character and a loss for those advocating for renewable energy.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rip currents are formidable natural forces, but knowing how to react can significantly increase your chances of safely navigating these challenging waters.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Sep. 2025
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On paper, the American team looked formidable, boasting Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and other stars.—
Tim Corlett,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forbidding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbidding. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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