Meaning & use
to prohibit something
Last updated
Meaning
verbtransitiveformal
to officially forbid something by law or rule
Grammar: Takes an object: prohibit smoking. You can also say prohibit someone from doing something.
Patterns
- prohibit something
- prohibit someone from doing something
The new law prohibits the sale of cigarettes to anyone under 18.
The company prohibits employees from using social media during work hours.
Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings.
Word forms
| third person singular | prohibits |
|---|---|
| past tense | prohibited |
| past participle | prohibited |
| -ing form | prohibiting |
Common combinations
- prohibit smoking
- The restaurant prohibits smoking inside.
- prohibit someone from doing something
- The rules prohibit students from leaving the campus during lunch.
- strictly prohibit
- The museum strictly prohibits touching the exhibits.
- prohibit by law
- Driving without a seatbelt is prohibited by law in many countries.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ban
- This is more common and less formal than prohibit; it often suggests a complete and official stopping of something.
- forbid
- This is similar but can be used for personal rules, not just official ones; it is stronger and more direct.
- outlaw
- This means to make something illegal by law; it is used especially for activities, not objects.
Opposites
Word family
- prohibition noun
- An official rule or law that forbids something.
- prohibitive adjective
- Too expensive or too difficult to do.
- prohibited adjective
- Not allowed by law or rule.
Commonly confused: to prohibit something or prescribe?
to prohibit something vs prescribe
Prescribe means to say what should be done, especially in medicine. Prohibit means to say what must not be done.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'prohibit someone from doing something'. The other options use wrong prepositions or omit the preposition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to prohibit something”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.