Prohibitive
/prəˈhɪbɪtɪv/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Prohibitive means something that prevents or stops people from doing something because it is too expensive, too difficult, or too much. For example, a very high price can be prohibitive because people cannot pay it. It often describes costs or rules that make an action impossible or very hard.
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See It in Action
Too expensive or costly to afford or do
- •The cost of the new phone was prohibitive for most people.
- •College tuition has become prohibitive for many families.
- •The price of the car was prohibitive, so she decided not to buy it.
Too difficult or limiting to allow something to happen
- •The rules were prohibitive, making it hard for new businesses to start.
- •The harsh weather conditions were prohibitive for outdoor work.
- •The prohibitive regulations stopped the project from moving forward.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "prohibitive" like "too much" or "too hard," but stronger—it means "so much that you cannot do it"
- ✓Picture a very tall wall or a big locked door that stops you from entering a place
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to buy something but the price is so high you feel you must stop
- ✓Sounds like "prohibit" (to stop) + "-ive" (describes something)—imagine a big STOP sign blocking your way
- ✓Think of rules that say "No" very strongly, like a sign that says "No entry" or "No parking"
- ✓NOT like "expensive" (just high price)—prohibitive means the price is so high it actually stops people from buying
- ✓NOT like "difficult" (can be hard but still possible)—prohibitive means too hard or too costly to try
- ✓NOT like "forbidden" (completely not allowed)—prohibitive is more about stopping by making something too hard or costly, not by law only
Try Other Words
- •Costly: meaning it costs a lot of money or effort (Use when focusing on high price or effort but less formal)
- •Restrictive: meaning it limits or controls what you can do (Use when focusing on rules or limits rather than price)
- •Unaffordable: meaning you cannot pay for it (Use when focusing only on price being too high)
- •Discouraging: meaning it makes people not want to do something (Use when focusing on feelings caused by difficulty or cost)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "pro-" (forward, before) + root "hibit" (from Latin "hibere," meaning to hold or stop) + suffix "-ive" (describes something)
- •Etymology: From Latin "prohibere," meaning to hold back or prevent
- •Historical development: Originally meant to stop or forbid something; now also means something that stops by being too difficult or costly
- •Modern usage: Used mostly to describe prices, costs, rules, or conditions that make actions impossible or very hard because they are too high or strict
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be too prohibitive and still be necessary? How would you decide?
•How do prohibitive costs or rules affect people's choices in daily life?
Fill in the blanks
1.The high price of the concert tickets was prohibitive, so many fans ___ to buy them.
2.When the rules are prohibitive, they ___ people from starting new projects.
3.The cost was not just expensive; it was prohibitive, meaning most people ___ afford it.
4.Prohibitive fees often ___ small businesses from growing.
5.Unlike simple difficulty, prohibitive conditions make tasks ___ or impossible.
6.The new law was so prohibitive that many people felt ___ to follow it.
7.When something is prohibitive, it usually ___ people to find alternatives or give up.