What does prohibit mean?
Prohibit is a formal verb meaning to forbid or prevent an action from taking place. It is especially common in laws, regulations, official policies, and institutional announcements, as in “The rule prohibits smoking in the building.” A person or organisation may prohibit a person from doing something, as in “The court prohibited him from entering the property,” or may prohibit an activity, substance, or product. The word often conveys an authoritative or legally enforceable restriction, although it can also describe a firm personal or organisational rule. In less formal contexts, forbid is frequently used instead: “They forbid visitors from parking outside the gate” may be more natural in conversation, while “Parking is prohibited” is a standard public notice. Prohibit comes from Latin prohibere, formed from pro-, meaning “forward,” and habere, meaning “to hold,” reflecting the idea of holding someone back from an action.
verbTo formally forbid an action or behaviour, or to prevent someone from doing something. It can also mean to make something unavailable or not permitted by law or regulation.
- To formally forbid or prohibit an action, behaviour, person, or thing.
- To prevent someone from doing something or to make something unavailable.
- To forbid something by law, regulation, or official policy.
"The regulations prohibit visitors from entering the site without permission."
"The school prohibits students from using mobile phones during lessons."
"The agreement prohibits the export of sensitive technology."
Prohibit comes from Latin roots meaning “to hold forward,” an apt origin for a rule that holds people back from an action.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prohibit come from?
The English word comes from Latin prohibere, formed from pro-, meaning “forward,” and habere, meaning “to hold.” The Latin verb originally meant to hold back, prevent, or keep from doing something, and it developed into the modern sense of formally forbidding. Its English use dates from the early 16th century, and the word became especially common in legal and administrative language through the influence of Latin legal terminology.
Related word forms
How prohibit is actually used
Prohibit is formal and common in legal, institutional, and regulatory contexts. In everyday speech, forbid is often more natural, while bar can suggest a restriction enforced by social convention or law.
Easily confused with prohibit
Forbid is often the more everyday equivalent of prohibit, while prohibit commonly has a more formal, legal, or regulatory tone.