1
as in prohibits
to order not to do or use or to be done or used
the company absolutely bans smoking within its buildings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excludes
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of
the university banned those caught in the cheating scandal from graduation ceremonies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curses
a prayer that harm will come to someone
a father's ban upon his ungrateful son
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in prohibitions
an order that something not be done or used
a quiet seaside resort with a ban on the drinking of alcohol in public places
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of bans
Matthew Kelly
may 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
The bill bans most bets placed on prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, explicitly outlawing wagers on topics including sports, weather, popular culture events, war, and death.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 19 May 2026
In late 2024, the Federal Trade Commission adopted a rule that bans undisclosed endorsements, paid social-media posts that mimic those of normal users, and the operation of networks of accounts to artificially inflate the popularity of a product or person.
—Lane Brown, Vulture, 15 May 2026
The second purpose is to address a state law that bans Georgia from using QR codes to count ballots after July 1.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 14 May 2026
The legislation, the Tribune-Review reported, bans employees or contractors from inquiring about immigration status and forbids law enforcement to take action based on immigration status.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The policy also bans material that admits to or encourages poaching.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The measure has some exceptions, such as undercover operations, SCUBA teams, bomb squads, and SWAT teams, but broadly bans masks.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
The law bans fees on the tax or tip portions of customers’ bills.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
But Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases specialist who has worked in Ebola outbreaks and formerly worked for the World Health Organization, said travel bans don’t stop spread of viruses and can actually impede efforts to contain them.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 18 May 2026
Official and unofficial bans were placed on Australian exports including wine, coal, barley and lobsters.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
Over the past few years, districts across the country have enacted phone bans or restrictions in a bid to limit distractions.
—Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Patagonia transitioned all waterproof products to PFAS-free chemistry as of spring 2025, and H&M, Levi’s and UNIQLO have committed to PFAS bans across their lines.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Angola does not plan to pursue punitive measures against mining companies such as export quotas or bans in order to bolster its domestic mining industry, a senior minerals minister said.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
In response, countries like China and South Korea imposed export bans on refined fuel products, including jet fuel.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Before session break in late March, the House DFL tried to force a vote on separate, standalone bills on assault weapons and high-capacity magazine bans, which failed in a 67-67 party-line vote.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
Verb
The 2025 law also bans gender-affirming surgeries for people under 18.
—Matthew Kelly
may 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
The bill bans most bets placed on prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, explicitly outlawing wagers on topics including sports, weather, popular culture events, war, and death.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 19 May 2026
In late 2024, the Federal Trade Commission adopted a rule that bans undisclosed endorsements, paid social-media posts that mimic those of normal users, and the operation of networks of accounts to artificially inflate the popularity of a product or person.
—Lane Brown, Vulture, 15 May 2026
The second purpose is to address a state law that bans Georgia from using QR codes to count ballots after July 1.
—Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 14 May 2026
The legislation, the Tribune-Review reported, bans employees or contractors from inquiring about immigration status and forbids law enforcement to take action based on immigration status.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 13 May 2026
The policy also bans material that admits to or encourages poaching.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
The measure has some exceptions, such as undercover operations, SCUBA teams, bomb squads, and SWAT teams, but broadly bans masks.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
The law bans fees on the tax or tip portions of customers’ bills.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
The 2016 act authorizes the president to impose economic sanctions and visa bans on foreign individuals or entities worldwide responsible for gross human rights abuses or significant corruption.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026
But Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases specialist who has worked in Ebola outbreaks and formerly worked for the World Health Organization, said travel bans don’t stop spread of viruses and can actually impede efforts to contain them.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 18 May 2026
Official and unofficial bans were placed on Australian exports including wine, coal, barley and lobsters.
—ABC News, 17 May 2026
Over the past few years, districts across the country have enacted phone bans or restrictions in a bid to limit distractions.
—Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
Patagonia transitioned all waterproof products to PFAS-free chemistry as of spring 2025, and H&M, Levi’s and UNIQLO have committed to PFAS bans across their lines.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Angola does not plan to pursue punitive measures against mining companies such as export quotas or bans in order to bolster its domestic mining industry, a senior minerals minister said.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 15 May 2026
In response, countries like China and South Korea imposed export bans on refined fuel products, including jet fuel.
—Angelica Ang, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Before session break in late March, the House DFL tried to force a vote on separate, standalone bills on assault weapons and high-capacity magazine bans, which failed in a 67-67 party-line vote.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bans
Verb
-
Israel prohibits many construction materials from entering Gaza, so the structure was created by welding sheets of metal together and painting them white.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Shadé’s Law, passed in 2019, now prohibits people convicted of certain violent crimes from buying or possessing such weapons.—
Allen G. Breed,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
However, when the AI excludes independent podcasts from the AI query result, that's a problem for podcast listeners and podcasters.—
Frank Racioppi,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Sorsby’s case doesn’t involve the Americans with Disabilities Act as the ADA excludes compulsive gambling as a covered disability.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Baseball has always been a sport that believes in the occult — in juju and curses and superstitions.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
-
Tens of millions of downloads deep, among discussions regarding ongoing bear curses and the quiet art of being a decent person, Drew Barrymore has asked about boogers and Jane Fonda has asked about hope.—
Brittany Delay,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Italy banned the farming, breeding and killing of animals for fur production beginning in 2022, joining a growing number of European countries that have enacted similar prohibitions or phase-outs.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
-
Thus, removing and transporting a whale’s head without a permit could fall under prohibitions on unauthorized possession and transport.—
Sam Zeveloff,
STAT,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
That is especially true of the right of publicity, with NIL as a subset—this right forbids misappropriation of a person’s unique and marketable qualities, including their NIL, signature, voice, nickname or myriad other identifying traits of commercial value.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 May 2026
-
The legislation, the Tribune-Review reported, bans employees or contractors from inquiring about immigration status and forbids law enforcement to take action based on immigration status.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
But the administration counters that the law creating the Temporary Status Protection Program bars any judicial review of which migrants may live and work in the United States.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
-
The company is also currently appealing a court order that bars it from hacking WhatsApp messages that stems from a lawsuit WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta, brought against NSO Group.—
Jude Joffe-Block,
NPR,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The Invasive Species Management Act outlaws the sale and spread of 30 species, like the Bradford (or Callery) pear, Japanese barberry and running bamboo, throughout the Garden State.—
Nick Caloway,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Even if the Supreme Court soon outlaws the use of race in shaping congressional districts, state lawmakers still have to work within Florida’s Fair Districts amendment.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Gender distress plays a more pronounced role in the film later on, as two crucial scenes frame it as the insurmountable obstacle that prevents the entity’s targets from returning to a version of their previous lives.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
18 May 2026
-
This natural state of paralysis prevents the body from physically acting out dreams, which could otherwise lead to injury, Drerup explained.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bans. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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