prohibition
noun
pro·hi·bi·tion
ˌprō-ə-ˈbi-shən 
also
ˌprō-hə-
1
: the act of prohibiting by authority
2
: an order to restrain or stop
3
often capitalized
: the forbidding by law of the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic liquors except for medicinal and sacramental purposes
Synonyms
Examples of prohibition in a Sentence
the city's prohibition of smoking in restaurants
a prohibition against parking on the street
Recent Examples on the Web
Louisiana ends prohibition on death penalty A De Soto Parish judge granted a death warrant Tuesday for 81-year-old Christopher Sepulvado to be executed on March 17 for the murder of his 6-year-old stepson in 1993.
—
James Powel, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
The House also passed new rules that limit the amount of time each bill gets debated and how long lawmakers get to speak — in addition to a prohibition on visual aids.
—Duane W. Gang, The Tennessean, 10 Feb. 2025
An occupying power’s transfer of its population to occupied territory is a war crime, in violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, but successive Israeli governments have ignored that prohibition, and the U.S. government has kept billions of dollars of aid flowing anyway.
—Kenneth Roth, TIME, 8 Feb. 2025
As part of his supervised release, Stubblefield will be required to wear an ankle monitor and abide by a prohibition from possessing firearms, and will be barred from contacting the reported victim in the case.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prohibition 
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James Powel, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025
The House also passed new rules that limit the amount of time each bill gets debated and how long lawmakers get to speak — in addition to a prohibition on visual aids.
—Duane W. Gang, The Tennessean, 10 Feb. 2025
An occupying power’s transfer of its population to occupied territory is a war crime, in violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, but successive Israeli governments have ignored that prohibition, and the U.S. government has kept billions of dollars of aid flowing anyway.
—Kenneth Roth, TIME, 8 Feb. 2025
As part of his supervised release, Stubblefield will be required to wear an ankle monitor and abide by a prohibition from possessing firearms, and will be barred from contacting the reported victim in the case.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prohibition
Articles Related to prohibition
Dictionary Entries Near prohibition
Cite this Entry
“Prohibition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prohibition. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prohibition
noun
pro·hi·bi·tion
ˌprō-ə-ˈbish-ən
1
: the act of prohibiting
2
: an order forbidding something
3
often capitalized
: the forbidding by law of the sale and manufacture of alcoholic beverages
Legal Definition
prohibition
noun
pro·hi·bi·tion
ˌprō-ə-ˈbi-shən
1
a
: an extraordinary writ issued by a higher court commanding an inferior court to keep within its proper jurisdiction (as by ceasing a prosecution)
b
: an order to refrain or stop
2
a
: something (as a law) that prohibits a certain act or procedure
b
capitalized
: the period from 1920 to 1933 in the U.S. when the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic liquors was prohibited by the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
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