# prohibit

/pɹoʊˈhɪbət/ (US) · /pɹəhˈɪbɪt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/prohibit
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

to officially forbid something or make it illegal. You use this when a law or a rule says you cannot do a specific action.

For teachers: to forbid something by authority, law, or regulation; to prevent an action from occurring. Transitive — requires a direct object.

## Examples

- The new law will prohibit smoking in public parks.
- The school rules strictly prohibit the use of mobile phones during final examinations to prevent cheating.
- While the constitution protects free speech, it does not prohibit the government from regulating the time and place of public demonstrations to ensure safety.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The law prohibits to smoke here" but "The law prohibits smoking here" — Prohibit is followed by a gerund (-ing form) or a noun phrase, not an infinitive.

## Usage notes

- The verb is transitive and often follows the pattern 'prohibit something' or 'prohibit someone from doing something'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.