forbid

[ fer-bid, fawr- ]

verb (used with object)

, for·bade or for·bad or for·bid, for·bid·den or for·bid, for·bid·ding.

1. to command (a person) not to do something, have something, etc., or not to enter some place:

   She forbade him entry to the house.

   Synonyms: interdict

2. to prohibit (something); make a rule or law against:

   to forbid the use of lipstick; to forbid smoking.

   Synonyms: interdict

3. to hinder or prevent; make impossible.

   Synonyms: deter, obviate, stop, preclude

4. to exclude; bar:

   Burlesque is forbidden in many cities.

forbid

/ fəˈbɪd /

verb

1. to prohibit (a person) in a forceful or authoritative manner (from doing something or having something)
2. to make impossible; hinder
3. to shut out or exclude
4. God forbid!
   God forbid! may it not happen

Derived Forms

• forˈbiddance, noun
• forˈbidder, noun

Other Words From

• for·bidder noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of forbid¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English forbeden, Old English forbēodan. See for-, bid ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of forbid¹

Old English forbēodan ; related to Old High German farbiotan , Gothic faurbiudan ; see for- , bid

Idioms and Phrases

see god forbid .

Synonym Study

Forbid, inhibit, prohibit, taboo indicate a command to refrain from some action. Forbid, a common and familiar word, usually denotes a direct or personal command of this sort: I forbid you to go. It was useless to forbid children to play in the park. Inhibit implies a checking or hindering of impulses by the mind, sometimes involuntarily: to inhibit one's desires; His responsiveness was inhibited by extreme shyness. Prohibit, a formal or legal word, means usually to forbid by official edict, enactment, or the like: to prohibit the sale of liquor. Taboo, primarily associated with primitive superstition, means to prohibit by common disapproval and by social custom: to taboo a subject in polite conversation.

Example Sentences

The justices were considering the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally forbids suits against foreign states.

From Washington Post

You may want, for example, a doorbell cam, but perhaps you live in an apartment building and the landlord forbids any door-lock replacements.

From Popular-Science

Its residents—like those of two other major cities—are forbidden from venturing outside.

From Time

Notably, Telegram’s very brief terms of service forbid the promotion of violence on public channels but do not mention anything about promoting violence on private channels or groups.

From Vox

Parler CEO John Matze said in a statement the company forbids incitement to violence and had worked to meet Apple and Google’s requirements for content moderation.

From Washington Post

And it has a high percentage of women who say their husbands forbid them from working.

From The Daily Beast

It is an article of faith with this man that there won't be any unruly behavior or, God forbid, any scenes.

From The Daily Beast

The laws of physics probably forbid wormholes from existing anyway, according to Thorne.

From The Daily Beast

The other would forbid more stringent background checks than those required by federal law.

From The Daily Beast

I would be cautious to even pick them up and God forbid I take them home.

From The Daily Beast

But step before her with my arms clasping a tin can with a geranium plant r Heaven forbid!

From Project Gutenberg

In some states statutes forbid the assignment of such policies for the benefit of creditors.

From Project Gutenberg

Many southern states passed resolutions requesting the northern states to forbid the publication of abolitionist papers.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall forbid it, I shall distinctly forbid it; it's a duty I owe to dear Georgie.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall not write any more of these diary letters unless there are further acute developments, which God forbid.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ban
• block
• cancel
• censor
• deny
• deprive
• disallow
• enjoin
• exclude
• freeze
• halt
• hinder
• impede
• inhibit
• oppose
• preclude
• prevent
• proscribe
• restrain
• restrict