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 Prohibition
: 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
Barthel laments that anti-cannabis laws encouraged growers to develop highly potent strains, just as Prohibition in the 1920s put potentially lethal moonshine into circulation.
—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
6 July 2026
The House under Perez advanced its own version of the legislation that omitted the short-term rental prohibition.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2026
While a blanket prohibition on using Swift as a personal or legal name isn’t enforceable in a prenup, her cadre of lawyers could require Kelce to use his existing name in specific commercial contexts.
—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
2 July 2026
Bomb Pop As part of the celebration of America's 250th anniversary, Prohibition in Charleston has brought a patriotic twist to summer with its All-American Pop-up Bar.
—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for prohibition
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
6 July 2026
The House under Perez advanced its own version of the legislation that omitted the short-term rental prohibition.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2026
While a blanket prohibition on using Swift as a personal or legal name isn’t enforceable in a prenup, her cadre of lawyers could require Kelce to use his existing name in specific commercial contexts.
—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
2 July 2026
Bomb Pop As part of the celebration of America's 250th anniversary, Prohibition in Charleston has brought a patriotic twist to summer with its All-American Pop-up Bar.
—
Aly Walansky,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for prohibition
Cite this Entry
“Prohibition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prohibition. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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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