1
as in terrifying
causing fear
a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gruff
harsh and threatening in manner or appearance
told us in a forbidding voice to stop calling him by that name
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as in prohibiting
the act of ordering that something not be done or used
the landlord's forbidding of loud music after 10:00 p.m.
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as in banning
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forbidding
Alexandra Byrne, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2024
Slowly, the color drains out of the image and the green frontier becomes a forbidding, black-and-white expanse.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 June 2024
Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
Last month, the judge overseeing that case imposed a three-year injunction forbidding Google from a number of practices, such as the use of terms forcing app developers to use Google’s proprietary payment system for in-app billing.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Adjective
The most forbidding child care markets in 2022 voted two years later for Trump by higher margins than the nation overall, but so did many of the areas where child care was more affordable.
—Alexandra Byrne, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2024
Slowly, the color drains out of the image and the green frontier becomes a forbidding, black-and-white expanse.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 June 2024
Verb
Kennedy has been a vocal advocate for raw milk, and has criticized FDA policy forbidding interstate sales of the product.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
Last month, the judge overseeing that case imposed a three-year injunction forbidding Google from a number of practices, such as the use of terms forcing app developers to use Google’s proprietary payment system for in-app billing.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for forbidding
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forbidding
Adjective
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The harsh environment, mostly devoid of human presence, feels almost terrifying in its vastness—but that feeling quickly gives way to awe and excitement.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Vogue,
4 Mar. 2025
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The terrifying incident unfolded Saturday morning, shortly after the Boeing 767 lifted off from its runway at Newark Liberty Airport.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The gruff but beloved Hackman was among the most accomplished actors of his generation, appearing as villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.—
Susan Montoya Bryan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
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Ford’s actually relatively locked-in as the gruff but supportive Colonel Graff training the impressionable Ender (Asa Butterfield), who has to save the universe as all lads in these types of films tend to do.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Smith, who is now winding down both his cases against the president-elect due to a longstanding Department of Justice policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president, has not provided any details about the contents of his report.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
8 Jan. 2025
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That has prompted states including Colorado, New York and California to enact legislation prohibiting medical debt from being included on residents' credit reports or factored into their credit scores.—
Noam Levey,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That an unelected tech billionaire has so much power over the American government is equal parts confusing and frightening.—
Caroline Mimbs Nyce,
The New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2025
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Strong’s interpretation of Roy Cohn in The Apprentice was tragicomic and frightening stuff.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Developers have to find a balance between not making the game too intimidating for newcomers to the series, whilst still posing a challenge for players who’ve grown used to the mechanics and winning strategies for 20 years or more.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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Even for someone who isn’t a color enthusiast (like myself) there are subtle colors to invest into and a plethora of inspirations on how to style them in a less intimidating way.—
Libby Page,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The abundance of statutory prohibitions aimed at casino-style gambling further tips the scales in favor of California as a potential launch point for litigation.—
Daniel Wallach,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
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The state lottery is an exception to Texas' gambling prohibition.—
Tasha Tsiaperas,
Axios,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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JPMorgan said the stock is at an attractive entry point with lower expectations and a formidable path for growth.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
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Buchanan supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election, was an aide to President Richard Nixon, and in 1992, launched a formidable primary challenge to the sitting Republican president, George H. W. Bush.—
Michael Kimmage,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Lilian laughed, but Dr. Fenton remained stern, only nodding at Lilian’s understanding.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
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Waves of anti-Tesla and Elon Musk protests ripple throughout Bay Area Related Articles With few options, Bay Area Democrats in Congress oppose Trump with stern letters, town halls and protest California’s first zero-emission car mandates are coming.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
The Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forbidding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forbidding. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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