PROHIBITIVE Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

prohibitive

adjective

Definition of prohibitive

as in exorbitant

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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 prohibitive One observer suggested that cost of protesting might be prohibitive to some, with single-day general admission to the event for Saturday and Sunday formerly priced at €47 ($53). — News Desk, Artforum, 22 Oct. 2026 Twenty-seven separate systems would mean a massive administrative burden for anyone operating across borders, which is manageable for large operators and prohibitive for smaller ones. — Erik Lagerblad, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 But Sceye is also aiming to help provide regular cellular coverage to underserved areas where installing fiber-optic cables to provide Internet access is more economically prohibitive. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026 Much harder than his Democratic rival and the prohibitive front-runner, Xavier Becerra. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prohibitive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prohibitive

Adjective

Now Trump wants to fund Putin’s war machine in exchange for diesel fuel, which is in short supply and now comes at an exorbitant cost.

— Kevin Igoe, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
While that system didn’t require up-front game purchases, the initial pricing was exorbitant, rising to $30 for 90 days of real-time streaming access, even for games that could be purchased outright on disc for less.

— Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of exorbitant

Adjective

That triggers First Amendment protection, and that means there cannot be viewpoint discrimination or unreasonable restrictions that are inconsistent with the speech activities imposed on the journalists.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
Frimpong concluded that plaintiffs were likely to prove the practice violated the 4th Amendment’s protection against unreasonable seizures and the 5th Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of unreasonable

Adjective

Across the country, 57% of Americans now say their utilities are unaffordable, up from 45% in February, according to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026
Higher mortgage rates have made buying a home unaffordable for 5 million more Americans since the beginning of the year, according to Oxford Economics, a consulting firm.

— Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of unaffordable

Adjective

Supporting Florida’s space industry does not need to be expensive.

— Max Harden, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
With the absence of any major AI company and relatively expensive valuations, investors have picked markets such as South Korea and Taiwan over India, experts said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of expensive

Adjective

Waiting months for a store to be completed — just as customers may wait a year for an individual piece — is an anti-efficiency stance that looks uneconomic on paper but has become one of the brand’s strongest competitive advantages.

— Li Jun, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Quaise is developing the approach to reach superhot geothermal resources at depths and temperatures where conventional mechanical drilling can become difficult or uneconomical.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of uneconomic

Adjective

Sloppiness continues Penalties and costly mistakes continue to undermine Sumrall’s team.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
The attacks have disrupted electricity and water supplies, halted business activity and forced residents to rely on costly alternatives, driving up prices.

— Hamza Fahmy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of costly

Adjective

But only a handful of souls have ever gone up the treacherous, unforgiving north face — 9,000 steep miles of snow, rock and ice with a gnarly gully given the forbidding name the Hornbein Couloir.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Wall Street suffered a steep day of losses Friday after the latest tech earnings reignited concerns that massive spending on AI may not deliver the returns that investors expect.

— Lucy Bayly, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of steep

Adjective

Lin did exactly what Netflix asked, steering away from overpriced $200 million-plus, non-downstream features like Red Notice, The Irishman and The Electric State.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
If the finger felt like a gimmick, so did the overpriced drinks — in every city and at every stop.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of overpriced

Browse Nearby Words

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prohibitive

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“Prohibitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prohibitive. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of prohibitive

adjective

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