Forbidding — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /fər-ˈbi-diŋ/ for·bid·ding

Meaning & Definition of Forbidding

Forbidding (adjective)

  1. such as to make approach or passage difficult or impossible
  2. disagreeable, repellent
  3. grim, menacing

Forbidding (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing fear

    "a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted"

    similar: alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying
    related: daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish
    near: calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonintimidating, nonthreatening

  2. harsh and threatening in manner or appearance

    "told us in a forbidding voice to stop calling him by that name"

    similar: austere, dour, fierce, flinty, grim, gruff, intimidating, lowering, rough, rugged, severe, stark, steely, stern, ungentle
    related: bleak, cold, hostile, inhospitable, inimical, unfriendly, unsympathetic, adamant, bound, determined, firm, intent, purposeful, resolute, resolved, steadfast, unflinching, fixed, hard, hardened, hardheaded, immovable, implacable, inflexible, ironhanded, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, rigid, self-willed, set, stiff, stubborn, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful, immutable, unchangeable, black, cheerless, dark, gloomy, glum, joyless, melancholic, moody, morose, sulky, sullen, surly, brooding, grave, humorless, melancholy, serious, sober, sobersided, solemn, somber, staid, unsmiling, weighty
    opposite: benign, benignant, gentle, mild, nonintimidating, tender
    near: bland, meek, mellow, soft, soothing, easy, quiet, tranquil, agreeable, bright, cheerful, inviting, pleasant, pleasing, sweet, glad, happy, lighthearted, merry, mirthful, sunny, featherbrained, flighty, frivolous, giddy, goofy, harebrained, light-headed, playful, scatterbrained, silly

Forbidding (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the act of ordering that something not be done or used

    "the landlord's forbidding of loud music after 10:00 p.m."

    similar: banning, barring, enjoining, interdicting, interdiction, outlawing, prohibiting, prohibition, proscribing, proscription
    related: bidding, charging, decreeing, dictation, direction, instruction, deterrence, discouragement, dissuading, repression, suppression, coercion, compulsion, constraint, force
    near: allowance, permission, sufferance, toleration, approval, endorsement, authorization, clearance, license, sanction, encouragement, promotion, support, compliance, obedience, submission

Forbidding (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: banning, barring, enjoining, interdicting, outlawing, prohibiting, proscribing
    related: deterring, discouraging, dissuading, clamping down (on), cracking down (on), crushing, putting down, quashing, quelling, repressing, silencing, snuffing (out), squashing, squelching, subduing, suppressing, halting, precluding, preventing, stopping, embargoing, excluding, ruling out, shutting out, debarring, depriving, disallowing, rejecting, repudiating, vetoing, bridling, checking, curbing, inhibiting, reining (in), restraining, blocking, hindering, impeding, obstructing
    opposite: allowing, letting, permitting, suffering
    near: approving, endorsing, sanctioning, authorizing, licensing, warranting, abetting, advancing, cultivating, encouraging, forwarding, furthering, nourishing, nurturing, promoting, supporting, bidding, commanding, ordering, abiding, bearing, brooking, countenancing, enduring, tolerating

Related Entry: Forbid (verb)

Forbid is a different word from Forbidding. The synonyms below are for forbid, not for forbidding.

  1. 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"

    similar: ban, bar, enjoin, interdict, outlaw, prohibit, proscribe
    related: deter, discourage, dissuade, clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, quell, repress, silence, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress, halt, preclude, prevent, stop, embargo, exclude, rule out, shut out, debar, deprive, disallow, reject, repudiate, veto, bridle, check, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, block, hinder, impede, obstruct
    opposite: allow, let, permit, suffer
    near: approve, endorse, sanction, authorize, license, warrant, abet, advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, further, nourish, nurture, promote, support, bid, command, order, abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, tolerate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Forbidding

The most common words with a similar meaning to Forbidding:

alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, formidable, frightening, frightful, ghastly, hair-raising, horrendous, horrible, horrifying, intimidating, redoubtable, scary, shocking, spine-chilling, terrible, terrifying, austere, dour, fierce, flinty, grim, gruff, lowering, rough, rugged, severe, stark, steely, stern, ungentle, banning, barring, enjoining, interdicting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Forbidding

Words with the opposite meaning of Forbidding:

benign, benignant, gentle, mild, nonintimidating, tender, allowing, letting, permitting, suffering

Related Words for Forbidding

daunting, demoralizing, disconcerting, discouraging, dismaying, disquieting, distressing, disturbing, perturbing, startling, threatening, troubling, trying, unnerving, bone-chilling, creepy, eerie, weird, appalling, atrocious, awful, grisly, gruesome, hideous, horrid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish, bleak, cold

Near Antonyms of Forbidding

calming, comforting, consoling, inviting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, reassuring, relaxing, soothing, tranquilizing, nonthreatening, bland, meek, mellow, soft, easy, quiet, tranquil, agreeable, bright, cheerful, pleasant, pleasing, sweet, glad, happy, lighthearted, merry, mirthful

Word Forms of Forbidding

Derived words: forbiddingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Forbidding

First known use: 1599

Frequently Asked Questions about Forbidding

What does "Forbidding" mean?

"Forbidding" means such as to make approach or passage difficult or impossible. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: such as to make approach or passage difficult or impossible. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Forbidding"?

Other words for "Forbidding" include alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome and formidable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Forbidding" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Forbidding"?

There are 191 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Forbidding". Common alternatives include alarming, dire, direful, dread, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, formidable, frightening and frightful.

What is the opposite of "Forbidding"?

Antonyms of "Forbidding" include benign, benignant, gentle, mild, nonintimidating, tender, allowing and letting. Near antonyms include calming, comforting, consoling and inviting.

How do you use "Forbidding" in a sentence?

Examples of "Forbidding" in a sentence: "a dark, forbidding house, that is reputed to be haunted"; "told us in a forbidding voice to stop calling him by that name"; "the landlord's forbidding of loud music after 10:00 p.m.".

Is "Forbidding" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Forbidding" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Forbidding"?

"Forbidding" is pronounced /fər-ˈbi-diŋ/ and divided into syllables as for·bid·ding.

What is the origin of the word "Forbidding"?

First known use: 1599.