prohibited
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of prohibited
Explanation
When something is prohibited, it's not allowed. If you see the sign "Swimming is prohibited," stay out of the water. Whether used as a verb ("You prohibited your friend from entering") or an adjective ("The prohibited word escaped your lips"), prohibited means something was forbidden — a no-no. You often see it in signs like "Smoking prohibited." It's a strong word, indicating that something is banned and suggesting dire consequences if the ban is not obeyed. On the other hand, when something is prohibited it might seem more appealing.
Vocabulary lists containing prohibited
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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The 18th Amendment (1919)
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"Jim Crow Laws"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Americans were already prohibited from using their cards in Cuba.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
States argue that the conditions do not explain what activities are prohibited for entities that receive grants.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
We are explicitly prohibited from censoring broadcasters, but this is censorship.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
Meta denied trying to "silence" Wynn-Williams or restrict her freedom of speech, adding an interim order prohibited her from book promotion.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The first resolution was designed to appease the Deep South by confirming that the Constitution prohibited any federal legislation limiting or ending the slave trade until 1808.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
