prohibited
Americanadjective
verb
Other Word 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.
“When a state offers a method for casting a ballot, the Constitution forbids restricting access to that voting method based on any prohibited ground, including age,” Judge Roger Gregory writes for a unanimous panel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Dürer was only partly successful: It was decided that Raimondi could continue copying Dürer’s work, but he was prohibited from also copying the artist’s distinctive monogram.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
Such institutions were created to provide higher education to disenfranchised African Americans, who were otherwise prohibited from attending most colleges.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Some have questioned whether those arrangements are legal or even constitutional; they could be regarded as export taxes or duties, which are specifically prohibited by the Constitution, according to the Tax Policy Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 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.
