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.
Since men are prohibited from wearing hats during hajj, many carry umbrellas to try to keep the blistering sun at bay.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
The plan wouldn’t change district policy on students’ personal cellphones, because their use already is prohibited on campus.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Theresa Foley, of Sheffield, is prohibited from contacting him or his team, going within a mile of a venue where he is performing and posting about him online.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Any offer to invest in Anthropic’s fundraising rounds — the latest of which could reportedly value the company at $900 billion — through an SPV is prohibited, according to the company’s website.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
He expressed himself in the dietary laws, which favored native African foods—the yam, the cassava—and prohibited the consumption of swine.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
