forbids

verb

present tense third-person singular of forbid
as in prohibits
to order not to do or use or to be done or used smoking is forbidden throughout the building we forbid you to see him

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forbids About to turn 50, with a body falling apart and the feeling that his life is a fraud, his doctor forbids him from lifting more than three kilos due to a hernia. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 The department has long had a policy that forbids retaliation against officers who report misconduct. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 As DeLay noted, the law forbids the FCC from changing the cap during its quadrennial media review. — ArsTechnica, 4 Aug. 2026 In Sunset Beach, an ordinance forbids metal shovels on the beach, and digging anything more than 18 inches deep or five feet wide, police say. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2026 Enid has to bring its appeal to the state agency in large part due to a 2015 law that forbids cities and counties from establishing their own regulations on oil and gas operations. — Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 Commodities law, which covers prediction markets, also forbids deceptive and misleading practices. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 22 June 2026 The law at issue in the case forbids an unlawful drug user from possessing firearms, and violators face up to 15 years in prison. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 18 June 2026 The Big 12 also has its own sports betting policy that forbids coaches, staff and athletes from engaging in sports wagering activity that undermines the integrity of games. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbids
  1. prohibits
  2. bans
Verb
  • The new law prohibits drugmakers from restricting the number or types of pharmacies that hospitals and other providers can contract with to dispense medications to their patients through a federal program called the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
    — Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Lemon and several other journalists have been charged with violating the FACE Act, which prohibits people from intimidating or interfering with individuals’ constitutional right to the freedom of religion.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of prohibits
Verb
  • Six of the seven individual plaintiffs were ultimately found responsible for violating FIU Regulation 110, which bans protests and other expressive activities inside university buildings.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Under national rules, farmers in the Amazon must preserve 80% of their land and may legally clear the remaining 20%, while the moratorium bans any deforestation, even when permitted by law.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bans

Browse Nearby Words

forbidding
forbids
forbore
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Cite this Entry

“Forbids.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbids. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on forbids

Nglish: Translation of forbids for Spanish Speakers

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