prohibit
Americanverb (used with object)
-
prohibits,
present (3rd person singular)
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prohibited,
past participle, past
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prohibiting
present participle
verb
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to forbid by law or other authority
-
to hinder or prevent
Usage
What’s the difference between prohibit and inhibit? Prohibit most commonly means to forbid or disallow, but it can also mean what inhibit usually means—to prevent or hinder. Inhibit can also mean to forbid, but this use is much less common. Prohibit is most commonly used in the context of rules, especially official ones like laws. The speed limit prohibits you from going above a certain speed. Parents might prohibit their kids from eating candy before dinner, but the word forbid is more commonly used in cases like this. Inhibit, on the other hand, is usually used in the context of things that prevent or hinder what someone is trying to do. Speed bumps are designed to inhibit speeding. A leg injury can inhibit your ability to walk. The meaning of prohibit and inhibit most often overlaps in cases when something is inhibited to the point of almost not being able to happen at all, as in This cast is designed to prohibit movement (prohibit could be replaced with inhibit in this sentence without much or any change in meaning). The adjective form inhibited is often used to indicate that someone or something is held back from full potential. When it’s applied to a person, it usually involves a mental, emotional, or psychological block, as in I feel less inhibited around my new group of friends—they accept me for who I am. The adjective prohibited describes something that’s forbidden, as in The sign lists all of the prohibited activities. Here’s an example of prohibit and inhibit used correctly in the same sentence. Example: To inhibit the acceleration of climate change, we must prohibit any increase in fossil fuel emissions. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between inhibit and prohibit.
Synonym Usage
See forbid.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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prohibitsimple
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prohibitssimple
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have prohibitedperfect
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has prohibitedperfect
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am prohibitingprogressive
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are prohibitingprogressive
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is prohibitingprogressive
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have been prohibitingperfect progressive
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has been prohibitingperfect progressive
Past
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prohibitedsimple
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had prohibitedperfect
-
was prohibitingprogressive
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were prohibitingprogressive
-
had been prohibitingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prohibit
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin prohibitus, past participle of prohibēre “to hold before, hold back, hinder, forbid,” equivalent to pro- pro- 1 + -hibēre, combining form of habēre “to have, hold”; see habit 1
Explanation
If a sign says "Swimming Prohibited," don't go for a dip. It's not allowed. To prohibit is to forbid, or to disallow something. In school, you are prohibited from leaving the premises before the end of the school day. The school administration also prohibits smoking and chewing gum. In 1920, it became illegal to sell alcohol in the United States. This time period when alcohol was prohibited is known as the era of Prohibition. Famously Prohibition did not work. When you prohibit something, you often make it seem more appealing.
Vocabulary lists containing prohibit
The Bill of Rights
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List 14
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The First Amendment of the US Constitution
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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.
See Examples For:
France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada prohibit importation of African hunting trophies like heads and skins, and pressure is mounting in the U.K. and Germany to follow suit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 8, 2026
Proposition 41 would would require audits for new state special taxes and prohibit new state taxes from being exempted from a voter-approved state spending limit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
MPs on the committee have recommended that in future such leases should prohibit sub-letting, unless specifically agreed with the landlord.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Under new rules announced last week, Airbnb will generally prohibit hosts from requiring guests to wash and put away dishes, strip beds or haul garbage off-site for reservations booked on or after November 20.
From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2026
While he thought the Constitution was crystal clear that Congress could not restrict or terminate the slave trade before 1808, it did not prohibit the members of the House from talking about the issue.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Muratov pointed out that the constitution still on the books "prohibits censorship, yet all free, independent media in our country have been destroyed".
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
The foreign emoluments clause prohibits all federal officials from accepting gifts of valuables, office, or title from any foreign country without express congressional consent.
From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2026
A law passed in 2023 prohibits small-business lenders from tacking on certain fees, including a fee for processing a payment on the loan or advance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
U.S. law generally prohibits government officials from working on matters where they retain a financial interest, said Cynthia Brown, senior ethics counsel for the government watchdog organization CREW.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The Executive Order prohibits U.S. persons from performing any contract in support of a commercial project in Yugoslavia, as well as from exporting services to Yugoslavia.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Walmart executives are prohibited from offering or accepting even a free cup of coffee when doing business deals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The new policy states that department members “shall not participate in, or solicit others to participate in, or join a prohibited clique.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Sherri Crichton says her husband's contract included a "frozen rights" provision that prohibited any spin-offs, sequels or reboots of ER being made without his express consent.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
The Justice Department maintains that its efforts are intended to prevent illegal voting, which is prohibited in federal elections.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026
Local law prohibited the time-reversal faculty by which the dead returned to life; they had spelled it out to him during his sixteenth year.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
In 1972, leaders of the United Farm Workers union descended on Arizona to battle legislation prohibiting agricultural workers in the state from striking or boycotting during harvest season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
He told AFP he is prohibiting poll workers from placing election-related bets.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
The prosecutor must show that some kind of human intent arises in laws prohibiting fraud, money-laundering, market manipulation, price-fixing, tax crimes, bribery and certain environmental crimes, to give a few examples.
From Slate ● Oct. 25, 2026
Raman said she had used the phrase “gold standard” to describe Special Order 40, which was issued by Gates in 1979, prohibiting officers from stopping people for the sole purpose of determining their immigration status.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Among its provisions are establishing a forty-hour work week and a national minimum wage as well as prohibiting oppressive child labor and most employment of minors.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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