ban

[ ban ]

See synonyms for: ban banned banning on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),banned, ban·ning.

to prohibit, forbid, or bar; interdict: to ban nuclear weapons;The dictator banned all newspapers and books that criticized his regime.
Archaic.
- to pronounce an ecclesiastical curse upon.
- to curse; execrate.

noun

the act of prohibiting by law; interdiction.
informal denunciation or prohibition, as by public opinion: society's ban on racial discrimination.

Law.
- a proclamation.
- a public condemnation.
Ecclesiastical. a formal condemnation; excommunication.
a malediction; curse.

Origin of ban

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bannen, Old English bannan “to summon, proclaim”; cognate with Old Norse banna to curse (probably influencing some senses of Middle English word), Old High German bannan; akin to Latin fārī “to speak,” Sanskrit bhanati “(he) speaks”

Other words for ban

1	taboo, outlaw, proscribe
3	prohibition, proscription, interdict
3, 4	taboo

See synonyms for ban on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for ban

allow

See antonyms for ban on Thesaurus.com

Other words from ban

ban·na·ble, adjective
un·banned, adjective

Words that may be confused with ban

banns, bans

Words Nearby ban

Other definitions for ban (2 of 4)

ban²

[ ban ]

noun

a public proclamation or edict.
bans, Ecclesiastical. banns.

(in the feudal system)
- the summoning of the sovereign's vassals for military service.
- the body of vassals summoned.

Origin of ban

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, ban, ban(n)e, iban “a lord's proclamation or edict or summons,” Old English (ge)ban(n) “proclamation, ordinance, summons to arms” (derivative of bannan ); influenced in some senses by Old French ban (Anglicized as ban ), from the same Germanic source; see ban¹

Other definitions for ban (3 of 4)

ban³

[ ban, bahn ]

noun

(formerly) the governor of Croatia and Slavonia.
History/Historical. a provincial governor of the southern marches of Hungary.

Origin of ban

First recorded in 1605–15; from Serbo-Croatian bân, contracted from unattested bojan, bajan, said to be from a Turkic personal name, perhaps introduced into the Balkans by the Avars; compare Medieval Greek bo(e)ános “governor”

Other definitions for ban (4 of 4)

ban⁴

[ bahn ]

noun,plural ba·ni

[bah-nee]. /ˈbɑ ni/.

a Romanian coin, one 100th of a leu.

Origin of ban

⁴

First recorded in 1960–65; from Romanian, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Serbo-Croatian bân “provincial governor”; see origin at ban³

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ban in a sentence

To do so, governments need to boost the adoption of electric vehicles through clear tax incentives, diesel and petrol engine bans, and major infrastructure investments.
Use today’s tech solutions to meet the climate crisis and do it profitably | Walter Thompson | February 12, 2021 | TechCrunch
If such a ban is not possible, steps should be taken to improve air circulation, the study said.
Airports have taken steps to reduce coronavirus transmission but risks still remain, study says | Lori Aratani | February 12, 2021 | Washington Post
The ban will apply to plastics that are designed to be used once and then discarded — water bottles, cutlery, candy wrappers and bags — that clog local waterways and overwhelm landfills, LeBlanc said.
George Washington University commits to single-use-plastic ban | Lauren Lumpkin | February 11, 2021 | Washington Post
Iowa’s House speaker said he can’t make lawmakers wear masks — but he did enforce a ban on jeansRep.
The governor of Iowa lifted coronavirus restrictions. These cities are keeping them anyway. | Paulina Villegas | February 8, 2021 | Washington Post
To get the space off right, Smith set up the pop-up in a matter of days, installing everything from the electric lines to blow-up snowmen to ensure the igloos would be ready for the deep winter chill and the temporary complete ban on indoor dining.
Shaw’s HalfSmoke is so cool, it’s hot | Evan Caplan | February 5, 2021 | Washington Blade

If the Israel model ban were directed towards disordered eating, Ravin says she would support it whole-heartedly.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models | Carrie Arnold | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
But in 1969, a longstanding practice was challenged—its ban on women.
The Bars That Made America Great | Nina Strochlic | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
A ban on the ringing of church bells, lifted in 1941, was reimposed.
Remembering the Russian Priest Who Fought the Orthodox Church | Cathy Young | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Aside from a blanket ban, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit are nearly impossible to control.
China’s Internet Is Freer Than You Think | Brendon Hong | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Or are the risks so great that a temporary ban is necessary?
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban | Jay Michaelson | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
We no longer live in an age when down-trodden laborers meet by candlelight with the ban of the law upon their meeting.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen Leacock
Weary of their ungodliness the Church placed its ban upon them under this ban it seems they die.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
Even when Christianity fell under the ban of persecution that freedom of sepulture was not at first interfered with.
The Catacombs of Rome | William Henry Withrow
For ten years Matthew and Mary lived happily together, or would have been happy if it had not been for the ban of the church.
Bell's Cathedrals: A Short Account of Romsey Abbey | Thomas Perkins
"Aye ban tank we joost get it nice quiet van you come back again," Anderson remarked in mock melancholy.
The Argus Pheasant | John Charles Beecham

British Dictionary definitions for ban (1 of 3)

ban¹

/ (bæn) /

verbbans, banning or banned

(tr) to prohibit, esp officially, from action, display, entrance, sale, etc; forbid: to ban a book; to ban smoking
(tr) (formerly in South Africa) to place (a person suspected of illegal political activity) under a government order restricting his movement and his contact with other people

archaic to curse

noun

an official prohibition or interdiction
law an official proclamation or public notice, esp of prohibition

a public proclamation or edict, esp of outlawry
archaic public censure or condemnation
archaic a curse; imprecation

Origin of ban

Old English bannan to proclaim; compare Old Norse banna to forbid, Old High German bannan to command

British Dictionary definitions for ban (2 of 3)

ban²

/ (bæn) /

noun

(in feudal England) the summoning of vassals to perform their military obligations

Origin of ban

C13: from Old French ban, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German ban command, Old Norse bann ban 1

British Dictionary definitions for ban (3 of 3)

ban³

/ (bæn) /

nounplural bani (ˈbɑːnɪ)

a monetary unit of Romania and Moldova worth one hundredth of a leu

Origin of ban

from Romanian, from Serbo-Croat bān lord

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

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