1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 forbidding
George Avalos, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
Just hearing how dangerous and forbidding K2 is can give you a chill (and the cold is part of it — even at base camp, the temperatures can reach 50 below).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Jan. 2026
Susan Page, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026
As far as forbidding a hairstyle in general goes, Silva sort of gets it.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
Just hearing how dangerous and forbidding K2 is can give you a chill (and the cold is part of it — even at base camp, the temperatures can reach 50 below).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Jan. 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
OpenAI leaned into the curious habit, choosing to highlight the goblin-forbidding prompt in a tweet.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026
As far as forbidding a hairstyle in general goes, Silva sort of gets it.
—Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbidding
Adjective
-
Inside the building, a terrifying hourslong ordeal was just beginning for those who couldn’t get out.—
Maria Aguilar Prieto,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Some things in life are fundamentally different in ways that no one ever realizes ahead of time, and the amazing feeling of G-forces in my butt, very like flying on the ground, was at once a 10/10 gratifying and terrifying experience.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Bring Something to Share In some soft socializing settings, bringing something to share can also foster a sense of connection, and small acts of participation may help make socializing feel less intimidating and more collaborative.—
Kate Donovan,
Martha Stewart,
28 May 2026
-
When safety is embedded into the workplace culture, changing regulations become less intimidating because the organization is already oriented around protecting people.—
John F. McQuillan,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The five-judge panel also upheld a 10-year ban prohibiting LaPierre from serving as an officer or director of the NRA, rejecting his contention that the restriction violated his First Amendment rights.—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
They are also now ordered to comply with a permanent injunction prohibiting future violations of California laws governing hazardous and medical waste and the protection of confidential medical information.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Boroughs is not a frightening show, monster snack-time portrayals notwithstanding.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
-
The father of two and community activist said the encounters can range from embarrassing and annoying to downright frightening.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Ye-jin is drawn in by the caring nature beneath Matthew’s gruff surface.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
But the grizzled former Man in Black and man-who-failed-to-ground-Maverick isn’t known for playing the type of gruff ol’ cowpoke who’s about to break into song.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The Treasury Department has asserted that those special coins fall outside the prohibition on living presidents appearing on money.—
Bill Barrow,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
But commemorative coins are exempt from the prohibition.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
But others say banning quotas would prevent them from setting clear expectations and evaluating their employees, a point recently illustrated by the Central Ohio Chiefs Association.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
Hester referred to Suski signing onto a friend of the court brief in support of a suit challenging West Virginia's law banning transgender girls from competing on female high school or college teams.—
Ryan Anderson,
Arkansas Online,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Cuban military, once a formidable expeditionary force during Cold War campaigns in Africa, now struggles with chronic fuel shortages, aging equipment, limited mobility and poor readiness, Pérez said.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
-
The elder Jackson, one of Chicago’s most famous civil rights icons, died in February and left his formidable organization to his son Yusef.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forbidding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbidding. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
