Meaning & use
heaven forbid
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Used to say you strongly hope something will not happen, often with humor or irony.
Grammar: Often stands alone as a response, or is followed by 'that' + clause: Heaven forbid that we should be late.
Patterns
- heaven forbid
- heaven forbid that + clause
- and heaven forbid (that) ...
Heaven forbid that anything should happen to her.
If, heaven forbid, you lose your job, what will you do?
"He might tell everyone." "Heaven forbid!"
Common combinations
- heaven forbid that
- Heaven forbid that we should run out of coffee.
- and heaven forbid
- And heaven forbid you should ask for help.
- heaven forbid!
- "She might sing again." "Heaven forbid!"
Synonyms and how they differ
- God forbid
- Means the same but uses 'God' and may sound more serious or religious; 'heaven forbid' is often lighter or ironic.
- I hope not
- A plain, neutral way to say you don't want something to happen; 'heaven forbid' is more dramatic and idiomatic.
Commonly confused: heaven forbid or forbid?
heaven forbid vs forbid
As a verb, 'forbid' means to order someone not to do something; 'heaven forbid' is a fixed phrase expressing a hope, not a command.
Practice
Choose the correct completion: "Heaven forbid ______ we should miss the train."
Choose one answer.
The fixed pattern is 'heaven forbid that + clause'. 'If' and 'for' do not fit this idiom; 'to' would need a verb, not a clause.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “heaven forbid”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.