forbidding 1 of 3

adjective

fər-ˈbi-diŋ How to pronounce forbidding (audio)
Definition of forbiddingnext
1
as in terrifying
causing fear a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intimidating
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance told us in a forbidding voice to stop calling him by that name

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forbidding

2 of 3

noun

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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forbidding

3 of 3

verb

present participle of forbid
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

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 forbidding
Adjective
California’s booming economy is one of the world’s largest, but a peek behind the curtain exposes the forbidding reality of a statewide job market that is ranked as one of the nation’s worst. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026 Reams of barbed wire gathered from the fields around Penpont were fashioned into a mesh curtain whose ends wrapped around two columns at the top of the museum’s grand staircase; the result was both alluring and forbidding. — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
But Cheney rarely tried to combat the image painted by critics and comedians of him as a dour partisan, dark and forbidding. — Susan Page, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Anyone attempting to think seriously about Elon Musk is confronted with a forbidding cognitive dissonance. — Mark O’Connell, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026 Developing oil in Alaska’s Arctic is a forbidding challenge, requiring complex logistics and specialized equipment. — Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Fortune, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbidding
  1. terrifying
  2. intimidating
  3. prohibition
  4. prohibiting
  5. frightening
  6. gruff
  7. banning
  8. outlawing
Adjective
  • That year, the Potomac River turned violent, as intense, heavy rains pushed the water to a terrifying, near-record flood level of 60,000 cubic feet per second.
    — Jasmine Baehr , Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Just like waiting for the release of the bull, the ride vehicle will pause for three seconds before a terrifying 285-foot drop.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • The caps, made from real bear skin, are a distinctive part of the military uniform, designed to make troops appear taller and more intimidating.
    — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • The one witness everyone in the courtroom remembers was Watkins, an intimidating presence with the build of an NFL defensive tackle.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
Definition of intimidating
Noun
  • The company could not secure an exception to the state’s prohibition of the storage of high-level radioactive waste from out of state.
    — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The prohibition against living people appearing on currency dates to 1866, when Congress took action after a Treasury official, Spencer Clark, printed his face on banknotes.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of prohibition
Verb
  • The Supreme Court on Monday allowed a Texas law prohibiting minors from downloading apps without their parent's consent to go into effect.
    — Nina Totenberg, NPR, 6 July 2026
  • Among other issues, Schroer has also pushed legislation prohibiting international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations from exercising jurisdiction in his state.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
Definition of prohibiting
Adjective
  • Spain are a more understated attacking unit, and there’s a sense that while Lamine Yamal has been excellent, there is another gear for the Barcelona 18-year-old to find, which is fairly frightening for everyone else.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • For millions of individuals and businesses who rely on professional preparers, the answer portends a frightening prospect if the return preparer is dishonest.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • Abraham Lincoln furiously scribbled in Springfield on June 27, 1858, firing off a gruff note to the editor-in-chief of the Chicago Press & Tribune, then in business for only 11 years.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • But Rose bet that a less gruff voice, ultimately Mike Brown’s, was required to win it all.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
Definition of gruff
Noun
  • The talk was organized by local synagogues and the Chattanooga Jewish Federation in response to the banning of the novel by a nearby Tennessee school district a month prior.
    — SPIN Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026
  • The reforms led to the creation of the forward pass and the banning of dangerous formations.
    — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of banning
Verb
  • In a brief order, the high court agreed to take up a pair of cases challenging local and state laws outlawing AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 June 2026
  • Players will still be able to cover their mouths when conversing normally, but outlawing the act during disagreements is designed to remove plausible deniability for any player accused of making discriminatory remarks while their mouth is obscured.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Definition of outlawing

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Cite this Entry

“Forbidding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbidding. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on forbidding

Nglish: Translation of forbidding for Spanish Speakers

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