prohibitive Definition
- 1serving or tending to prohibit or forbid something
- 2so high as to discourage purchase or use; excessively expensive
Using prohibitive: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "prohibitive" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The prohibitive laws against drug use have been in place for decades.
Example
The cost of the new car was prohibitive, so I decided to buy a used one instead.
Example
The prohibitive regulations made it difficult for small businesses to operate.
prohibitive Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for prohibitive
Antonyms for prohibitive
Phrases with prohibitive
a tax on imported goods that is so high as to make them too expensive to be sold in the domestic market
Example
The government imposed a prohibitive tariff on foreign cars to protect the local automobile industry.
an expense that is so high as to make something unaffordable or impractical
Example
The prohibitive cost of college tuition has led many students to take out large loans.
prohibitive measures
actions taken to prevent or discourage something from happening
Example
The government has implemented prohibitive measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Origins of prohibitive
from Latin 'prohibere', meaning 'to prohibit'
Summary: prohibitive in Brief
The term 'prohibitive' [prəˈhɪbɪtɪv] refers to something that prohibits or forbids, or something that is excessively expensive and discourages purchase or use. Examples include prohibitive laws against drug use, prohibitive regulations that make it difficult for small businesses to operate, and the prohibitive cost of college tuition. 'Prohibitive' extends into phrases like 'prohibitive tariff,' which is a tax on imported goods that is so high as to make them too expensive to be sold in the domestic market.