prohibitive

American  

[proh-hib-i-tiv] / proʊˈhɪb ɪ tɪv /

Also prohibitory

adjective

1. serving or tending to prohibit or forbid something.

   We will discuss some of the discriminatory, prohibitive legislation that was undone by the Civil Rights Act.

2. sufficing to prevent the use, purchase, etc., of something.

   prohibitive prices.

3. having so great a likelihood of success that others vying for the same thing are essentially prevented from succeeding.

   Political analysts are largely in agreement over who the party’s prohibitive nominee is.

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prohibitive British  

/ -trɪ, prəˈhɪbɪtɪv, prəˈhɪbɪtərɪ /

adjective

1. prohibiting or tending to prohibit

2. (esp of prices) tending or designed to discourage sale or purchase

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Other Word Forms

• nonprohibitive adjective
• nonprohibitively adverb
• prohibitively adverb
• prohibitiveness noun
• unprohibitive adjective
• unprohibitively adverb

Etymology

Origin of prohibitive

First recorded in 1400–50; from Medieval Latin prohibitīvus; prohibit, -ive

Example Sentences

But in practice, usage remains "limited" because "the costs are still prohibitive for most users," according to NetFreedom Pioneers' Emilia James.

From Barron's

Even if parents can find child care, its high cost can be prohibitive, sometimes leading to young parents with low-paying jobs leaving the workforce.

From Salon

He wants to increase the number of bike lanes, parks and green walking paths, as well as improve public housing in a capital of 2 million people where rent is often prohibitive.

From Barron's

Under its pricing model, residents of larger, more affluent towns subsidise isolated areas where costs would otherwise be prohibitive.

From Barron's

Some small businesses find that the paperwork and legal costs make it prohibitive to use the first sale rule.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• excessive
• exorbitant
• preposterous
• steep