debar

American  

[dih-bahr] / dɪˈbɑr /

verb (used with object)

debarred, debarring

1. to shut out or exclude from a place or condition.

   to debar all those who are not members.

   Antonyms:

   admit

2. to hinder or prevent; prohibit.

   to debar an action.

   Synonyms:

   interdict

   Antonyms:

   permit

---

debar British  

/ dɪˈbɑː /

verb

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

---

Other Word Forms

• debarment noun

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.

Example Sentences

It is relatively rare for HHS to debar an NIH grantee.

From Science Magazine • May 15, 2024

The effort to debar Restaurant Associates stems from its July agreement, and that of subcontractor Personnel Plus, to provide $1,008,302 in back pay to 674 workers.

From Washington Post • Jan. 4, 2017

You would think that views like that might just debar you from holding that office, but no.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2015

The company said Thursday that it had “not been advised of the intention of any federal agency to suspend or debar the company in connection with the plea agreement.”

From New York Times • Nov. 16, 2012

I know too well the luxury of having done 'the last' for a friend, to debar any one from it.

From Memoir of Mary L. Ware, Wife of Henry Ware, Jr. by Hall, Edward B.