forbid

1 of 2

verb

for·​bid fər-ˈbid 

fȯr-

forbade fər-ˈbad 

-ˈbād,

fȯr-  also forbad fər-ˈbad 

fȯr-

; forbidden fər-ˈbi-dᵊn 

fȯr-

; forbidding

transitive verb

1

: to proscribe (see proscribe sense 2) from or as if from the position of one in authority : command against

The law forbids stores to sell liquor to minors.

Her mother forbids her to go.

2

: to hinder or prevent as if by an effectual command

Space forbids further treatment here.

Modesty forbids telling what my part was in the affair.

forbidder noun

forbid

2 of 2

adjective

archaic

: accursed

he shall live a man forbid

—William Shakespeare

Synonyms

Verb

• ban
• bar
• enjoin
• interdict
• outlaw
• prohibit
• proscribe

Choose the Right Synonym for forbid

forbid, prohibit, interdict, inhibit mean to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done.

forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected.

smoking is forbidden in the building

prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations.

prohibited the sale of liquor

interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose.

practices interdicted by the church

inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation.

conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade

Examples of forbid in a Sentence

Verb

I forbid you to go!

She was forbidden by her parents to marry him.

She was forbidden from marrying him.

The museum forbids flash photography.

The company's rules forbid dating among employees.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The church has forbidden him from working as a minister in any Episcopal church or having any contact with members of the congregation until the investigation and any possible trial have concluded. —James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2024

Touching or feeding the birds is forbidden, but wildlife enthusiasts can view them from special boardwalks built along the beaches. —Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2024

The short answer, legal experts said, is yes — because the U.S. Constitution does not forbid it. —David Nakamura, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024

Many sites deal with that by forbidding people under 13, not that this stops many kids from jumping on the likes of Instagram anyway. —Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2024

State law appears to forbid state legislators from seeking other public offices during their term, but Quiñonez's abrupt resignation last week raised questions about whether the council might appoint him anyway. —Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 9 Apr. 2024

Williams received British assurances that his ship wouldn’t be fired upon but was forbidden from stepping foot on the mainland and ordered to return home immediately after the eclipse. —Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024

In the motion, the lawyers argued that children who have not yet been formally apprehended deserve the same safe and sanitary housing as those already in official custody, since they are forbidden from moving from the camps and have no way of going back over the border. —Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

New York state’s rules of professional conduct for lawyers forbid attorneys from knowingly making false statements to a court. —Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Adjective

Middle English forbidden, from Old English forbēodan, from for- + bēodan to bid — more at bid entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1606, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing forbid

• God/heaven forbid

Kids Definition

forbid

verb

for·​bid

fər-ˈbid,

fȯr-

forbade

-ˈbad,

-ˈbād

also forbad

-ˈbad

; forbidden

-ˈbid-ᵊn

; forbidding

: to order not to do or to be done or used

I forbid you to go

cameras are forbidden

forbidder noun