1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forbidding
David E. Sanger, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Law’s language remains opaque, its institutions foreign and forbidding, and its cost an insurmountable barrier for most to engage counsel when it is desperately needed.
—Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
The silent close-ups of the people in the vehicle are subtly unsettling, while all around them rolls a beautiful, forbidding landscape.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Adjective
The meteorological conditions are as forbidding as the politics.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Law’s language remains opaque, its institutions foreign and forbidding, and its cost an insurmountable barrier for most to engage counsel when it is desperately needed.
—Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Verb
There has been some discussion in the Texas Legislature to ban masks, especially after concerns about violent incidents linked to protests related to the Israel-Hamas war, but there are no laws in Texas forbidding them at protests.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
The silent close-ups of the people in the vehicle are subtly unsettling, while all around them rolls a beautiful, forbidding landscape.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbidding
Adjective
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The terrifying moment that passengers were made to put on oxygen masks was captured on video.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
1 July 2025
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When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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With a deep, gruff voice and animus toward humanity, McCarthy was an unusual dance-music star when Nitzer Ebb started notching chart hits.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2025
-
Two months ago, the world lost a gruff and burly guitar player named Al Barile.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Smith, who is now winding down both his cases against the president-elect due to a longstanding Department of Justice policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president, has not provided any details about the contents of his report.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
8 Jan. 2025
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That has prompted states including Colorado, New York and California to enact legislation prohibiting medical debt from being included on residents' credit reports or factored into their credit scores.—
Noam Levey,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The great outdoors can be a big and frightening place, especially for cats who have only seen it from the safety of the great indoors.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
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Moreover, if their environment is unpredictable, frightening, or volatile, some children learn that any disagreement could lead to danger and try to bury their feelings to avoid conflict and maintain a sense of peace.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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The foundations themselves are also focused on education to make clinical trials less intimidating.—
Alexis Kayser,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
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Catcher Caden Bodine, a top-round prospect, leads Coastal Carolina’s balanced and intimidating lineup.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Noun
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The divided panel also said West Virginia’s prohibition violated the Medicaid Act and the Affordable Care Act.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
1 July 2025
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The agreement involves provisions on territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities as well as the disengagement, disarmament and conditional integration of non-state armed groups.—
Chinedu Asadu,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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In short, because the Ukrainians have put up a formidable defense.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 July 2025
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Central and undeniable, beautiful and formidable, and oftentimes frustrating.—
Lidija Hilje
July 8,
Literary Hub,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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As the bow and stern sections tore free from one another, the ship’s contents were ejected and rained down across the ocean floor, dispersing everything from luggage and dinnerware to engine parts and personal belongings.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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Len, that character of a stern Englishman with a twinkle in his eye, felt like the core of what the show was.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forbidding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbidding. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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