Meaning & use
prohibit
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Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
To officially forbid something by law, rule, or authority.
Grammar: Takes an object: prohibit something. Often used in the passive: smoking is prohibited.
Patterns
- prohibit something
- prohibit someone from doing something
- be prohibited from doing something
The new law prohibits the sale of tobacco to anyone under 21.
The school prohibits students from using phones during class.
Parking is prohibited on this street between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
verbtransitiveformal
To make something impossible or prevent it from happening.
Grammar: Takes an object: prohibit something. Often used in the passive: the high cost prohibits many people from buying.
Patterns
- prohibit something
- prohibit someone from doing something
The high cost of housing prohibits many young families from buying a home.
Lack of funding prohibited the team from finishing the project.
Poor weather prohibited any further search that day.
Word forms
| third person singular | prohibits |
|---|---|
| past tense | prohibited |
| past participle | prohibited |
| -ing form | prohibiting |
Common combinations
- strictly prohibited
- Smoking is strictly prohibited in all areas of the hospital.
- prohibit someone from doing something
- The rules prohibit players from touching the ball with their hands.
- be prohibited by law
- Selling fireworks without a license is prohibited by law.
- prohibit the use of something
- The city prohibited the use of plastic bags in supermarkets.
Synonyms and how they differ
- forbid
- More common in everyday speech and often used with a person: forbid someone to do something.
- ban
- Stronger and more official; often used for a complete, public ban on something.
- outlaw
- Used mainly for making an activity illegal by law; stronger and more dramatic than prohibit.
- bar
- Often used for keeping someone out of a place or activity, rather than making a rule against an action.
Opposites
Word family
- prohibition noun
- An official rule or law that forbids something.
- prohibitive adjective
- So expensive or difficult that it prevents people from doing something.
- prohibited adjective
- Officially not allowed; forbidden.
Commonly confused: prohibit or prescribe? prohibit or prosecute?
prohibit vs prescribe
Prescribe means to say what medicine or treatment someone should have, or to state a rule. It is not the opposite of prohibit, but the two are sometimes confused in formal writing.
prohibit vs prosecute
Prosecute means to charge someone with a crime in court. Prohibit means to forbid something by law; the two often appear together but have different meanings.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence using 'prohibit'.
Choose one answer.
Option B is correct because 'prohibit' takes a noun or an -ing form as its object: prohibit smoking. Option An is wrong because 'prohibit' is not followed by 'to' + verb. Option C is wrong because 'prohibit' does not take a that-clause. Option D is wrong because the bare verb 'smoke' cannot be the object of 'prohibit'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “prohibit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.