forbid

1 of 2

verb

for·​bid fər-ˈbid How to pronounce forbid (audio)
fȯr-
forbade fər-ˈbad How to pronounce forbid (audio)
-ˈbād,
fȯr- How to pronounce forbid (audio)
also forbad fər-ˈbad How to pronounce forbid (audio)
fȯr-
; forbidden fər-ˈbi-dᵊn How to pronounce forbid (audio)
fȯr-
; forbidding

transitive verb

1
: to proscribe (see proscribe sense 2) from or as if from the position of one in authority : command against
The law forbids stores to sell liquor to minors.
Her mother forbids her to go.
2
: to hinder or prevent as if by an effectual command
Space forbids further treatment here.
Modesty forbids telling what my part was in the affair.
forbidder noun

forbid

2 of 2

adjective

archaic
: accursed
he shall live a man forbidWilliam Shakespeare
Choose the Right Synonym for forbid

forbid, prohibit, interdict, inhibit mean to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done.

forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected.

smoking is forbidden in the building

prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations.

prohibited the sale of liquor

interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose.

practices interdicted by the church

inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation.

conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade

Examples of forbid in a Sentence

Verb I forbid you to go! She was forbidden by her parents to marry him. She was forbidden from marrying him. The museum forbids flash photography. The company's rules forbid dating among employees.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Instead of forbidding gas in new or existing construction, local governments in California are electing to set energy efficiency standards for buildings. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 25 Mar. 2024 In the past few months, deep in the forbidding deserts of central Syria, Russian forces have quietly joined the Syrian military in intensifying attacks against Islamic State strongholds, including bombing what local news reports called the dens and caves where the extremist fighters hide. Neil MacFarquhar, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024 Under the influence of Christianity and Islam, which forbids alcohol, brewing culture among the Bisaya tribe came close to disappearing in the 1980s, said Peter Sawal, a tribal elder. Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Labor advocates and Democrats circulated a 2015 post from X, previously called Twitter, in which Hawley celebrated the legislative passage of an anti-union bill that forbids mandatory union membership. Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The deepening friendship between these two young women, one of whom is alive, is very much coded as romantic, though not enough to ruffle the feathers of homophobes or, perhaps more pertinently in the eyes of the movie’s corporate parents, forbid it from being shown in China. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024 The company’s policy now forbids impersonating candidates or local governments using ChatGPT. Wes Davis, The Verge, 19 Mar. 2024 In fact, for members of many local indigenous tribes, looking at the eclipse is actually forbidden, as the solemn meeting of the moon and sun is one to be revered, but not seen. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 19 Mar. 2024 No one understands this more than the Olsen twins, who forbade their resort 2025 show-goers from capturing and sharing catwalk content on their iPhones. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forbid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Adjective

Middle English forbidden, from Old English forbēodan, from for- + bēodan to bid — more at bid entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forbid was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near forbid

Cite this Entry

“Forbid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forbid. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

forbid

verb
for·​bid
fər-ˈbid,
fȯr-
forbade
-ˈbad,
-ˈbād
also forbad
-ˈbad
; forbidden
-ˈbid-ᵊn
; forbidding
: to order not to do or to be done or used
I forbid you to go
cameras are forbidden
forbidder noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forbid

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