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
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
Terms of Avalos’ release include a prohibition on travel outside Minnesota, continuing mental health treatment, no possession of weapons or alcohol, GPS monitoring, a curfew, and restricted use of the internet, according to court documents.
—
Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Players can, subject to some prohibitions, gamble on sports other than the NFL.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
An open letter calling for the prohibition of the development of superintelligent AI was announced on Wednesday, with the signatures of more than 700 celebrities, AI scientists, faith leaders, and policymakers.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Business of Fashion Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and former president of Ireland Mary Robinson sign a letter calling for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence.
—Ellie Austin, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prohibition
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Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Players can, subject to some prohibitions, gamble on sports other than the NFL.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
An open letter calling for the prohibition of the development of superintelligent AI was announced on Wednesday, with the signatures of more than 700 celebrities, AI scientists, faith leaders, and policymakers.
—Billy Perrigo, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Business of Fashion Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and former president of Ireland Mary Robinson sign a letter calling for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence.
—Ellie Austin, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prohibition
Cite this Entry
“Prohibition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prohibition. Accessed 30 Oct. 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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