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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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
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 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
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 The parliament in England created laws against Quakers, forbidding them to worship freely, charging them with punishments for refusing to take oaths or refusing to remove their hats. — Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 3 July 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
  • View gallery - 5 images What sounds more terrifying than a part-cockroach, part-robot cyborg?
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • One of the most terrifying aspects of being a teen is the continuous change.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 July 2026
Definition of terrifying
Adjective
  • Still, this ambitious movie adaptation’s pedigree might just be more intimidating than any of the game’s brutally difficult boss battles.
    — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
  • More premium than the Kawasaki KLX300SM, more race-focused than the Suzuki DR-Z4SM, lighter and more competition-oriented than the KTM 390 SMC R, and most importantly, considerably cheaper and less intimidating than the Hypermotard 698 Mono.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 July 2026
Definition of intimidating
Noun
  • One Democratic commissioner joined with three Republicans in voting in favor of the prohibition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
  • The 14th Amendment’s foundational principles include birthright citizenship, due process, equal protection under the law, and the prohibition for heads of state to engage in acts of insurrection.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of prohibition
Verb
  • The ruling granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the firms from completing the merger and from consolidating their operations.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026
  • Key Background Federal prosecutors have increasingly used statutes prohibiting the sending of threats against the president to pursue posts made on social media.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of prohibiting
Adjective
  • However, changing the Social Security formula to a means-testing base, and applying it immediately to all existing Social Security recipients, is a frightening idea.
    — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2026
  • Panettiere's pregnancy was marked by a series of frightening health scares.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of frightening
Adjective
  • Homer’s character, notorious as a schemer, here comes off as plain and direct—a gruff, practical tactician, rather than something more energetically inventive and morally dubious.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 July 2026
  • The New Zealander drew international acclaim for roles as gruff loners and unhinged villains.
    — Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 13 July 2026
Definition of gruff
Noun
  • Rescues during holidays have declined in recent years, owing to the prohibition of alcohol on Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July, along with the banning of diving along the Clay Banks, Nunez said.
    — Reeti Malhotra July 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
  • 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
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 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on forbidding

Nglish: Translation of forbidding for Spanish Speakers

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