Synonyms

debar

American

[dih-bahr] / dɪˈbɑr /

verb (used with object)

to shut out or exclude from a place or condition.

to debar all those who are not members.

Antonyms:

admit
to hinder or prevent; prohibit.

to debar an action.

Synonyms:

interdict

Antonyms:

permit

debar British

/ dɪˈbɑː /

verb

to exclude from a place, a right, etc; bar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

debarment

noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of debar

1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French, Old French desbarrer to lock out, bar. See de-, bar ¹

Explanation

To debar is to officially bar, ban, or exclude someone from doing something. Debar can also mean to prevent something from happening. If you have a hat club, you can debar anyone who’s not wearing one. If someone is barred from entering, they are prevented from entering. Oddly enough, to debar them means the same thing. If you're debarred from a school, you can no longer attend. If a politician is debarred from office, they've been thrown out. You can also debar events. Eating well and exercising can debar many health problems. This kind of debarring means the same as averting. People try to debar negative things from happening.

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