interdict

American  

[in-ter-dikt, in-ter-dikt] / ˈɪn tərˌdɪkt, ˌɪn tərˈdɪkt /

noun

1. Civil Law. any prohibitory act or decree of a court or an administrative officer.

2. Roman Catholic Church. a punishment by which the faithful, remaining in communion with the church, are forbidden certain sacraments and prohibited from participation in certain sacred acts.

3. Roman Law. a general or special order of the Roman praetor forbidding or commanding an act, especially in cases involving disputed possession.

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verb (used with object)

interdicts, present (3rd person singular) interdicted, past participle, past interdicting present participle

1. to forbid; prohibit.

2. Ecclesiastical. to cut off authoritatively from certain ecclesiastical functions and privileges.

3. to impede by steady bombardment.

   Constant air attacks interdicted the enemy's advance.

interdict British  

noun

1. RC Church the exclusion of a person or all persons in a particular place from certain sacraments and other benefits, although not from communion

2. civil law any order made by a court or official prohibiting an act

3. Scots law an order having the effect of an injunction

4. Roman history

   1. an order of a praetor commanding or forbidding an act

   2. the procedure by which this order was sought

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verb

1. to place under legal or ecclesiastical sanction; prohibit; forbid

2. military to destroy (an enemy's lines of communication) by firepower

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interdictor
  noun
• interdictive
  adjective
• uninterdicted
  adjective
• interdictively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• interdicting
  present
• interdicted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• interdict
  simple
• interdicts
  simple
• have interdicted
  perfect
• has interdicted
  perfect
• am interdicting
  progressive
• are interdicting
  progressive
• is interdicting
  progressive
• have been interdicting
  perfect progressive
• has been interdicting
  perfect progressive

Past

• interdicted
  simple
• had interdicted
  perfect
• was interdicting
  progressive
• were interdicting
  progressive
• had been interdicting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will interdict
  simple
• will have interdicted
  perfect
• will be interdicting
  progressive
• will have been interdicting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of interdict

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) from Latin interdictum “prohibition,” noun use of neuter of interdictus, past participle of interdīcere “to forbid,” equivalent to inter- “between, among, together” + -dic- (variant stem of dīcere “to speak”) + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Middle English enterdit, from Old French, from Latin, as above; (verb) from Latin interdictus; replacing Middle English enterditen, from Old French entredire (past participle entredit ), from Latin, as above; see inter-

Explanation

Interdict means to forbid, to nix, to veto. If your parents find out you're planning a party for a time when they're away , they will interdict it. If your principal has interdicted gum-chewing at school, he might set up a few random check points, interdicting gum-chewing students with detentions and a command to instantly spit out their offensive, long-lasting candy. To interdict, pope-style, is to in essence excommunicate, or prohibit a person or especially a place from the functions and privileges of the church.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interdict interdicts interdicted interdicting

By releasing details about the vulnerabilities and evasion tactics found on board dark fleet tankers, Coast Guard officials hope that other countries will be encouraged to step up efforts to interdict them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

The notion that America can interdict China’s oil supply and impair its access to crude is “stupid, stupid, stupid,” Papic emphasizes.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 22, 2026

By contrast, a blockade allows US warships to loiter safely, far offshore in the waters of the Gulf of Oman, track vessels emerging from Iranian ports and interdict them at will.

From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026

He said U.S. forces would interdict vessels and clear potential mines, while also signaling a readiness to escalate militarily if needed.

From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2026

All this did not extract the money from the bankrupts, and Frà Piero laid the city under interdict, but both the clergy and people refused to observe it.

From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume II by Lea, Henry Charles

Environmental and community groups have sued companies including Shell in recent months, winning temporary interdicts that caused searches to be called off.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 7, 2022

The bargain had not been struck without great agitation, interdicts on the town, and outcries from laymen and ecclesiastics alike.

From The Story of Rouen by Cook, Theodore Andrea, Sir

Its next verse interdicts concubinage when it enjoins marriage with the then existing slaves.

From A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád' Showing that all the Wars of Mohammad Were Defensive; and that Aggressive War, or Compulsory Conversion, is not Allowed in The Koran - 1885 by Cherágh Ali

Lewalé interdicts them from going; he says, "You may go, but leave all the gunpowder here, because Mirambo will follow and take it all to fight with us."

From The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death, Volume II (of 2), 1869-1873 Continued By A Narrative Of His Last Moments And Sufferings, Obtained From His Faithful Servants Chuma And Susi by Waller, Horace

The custom spread to the churches of St. Michael, St. Martin, the Bethlehem Chapel, and elsewhere, in spite of the opposition of King Wenceslas and Archbishop Conrad, who vainly threatened secular punishments and ecclesiastical interdicts.

From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume II by Lea, Henry Charles

"The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea. The US Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition."

From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2026

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez voiced defiance in comments at a public event in Caracas broadcast Saturday on state TV -- although he made no mention of the interdicted ship.

From Barron's ● Dec. 20, 2025

The threat has left tankers stuck off the coast of Venezuela, with shipping data showing some vessels making U-turns rather than risk being interdicted.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

On March 1, Lebanon’s Finance Ministry announced it interdicted a suitcase with $2.5 million from someone arriving at Beirut airport — presumably a cash infusion for the group.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2025

It was but fifteen minutes after that we approached the wharves of our interdicted city.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Although China's ability to sever undersea communications cables, cyber attacks and interdicting maritime trade are the primary risk for Australia, "the direct strike threat is real and growing", the report said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

Given the difficulties in interdicting components, U.S. officials say they are also trying to starve Tehran of funds by going after buyers and shippers of Iranian oil.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

Border Patrol said Operation Return to Sender “focused on interdicting those who have broken U.S. federal law, trafficking of dangerous substances, non-citizen criminals, and disrupting the transportation routes used by Transnational Criminal Organizations.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025

A similar Ukrainian strategy of interdicting logistics previously forced the Russians to evacuate Snake Island, a strategic chokepoint in the Black Sea.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 17, 2022

The dry, spare tone of the physician interrupted,—a trite phrase interdicting agitation.

From The Mystery of Witch-Face Mountain and Other Stories by Murfree, Mary Noailles