prohibitive
gb/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪv/ us/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪv/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
too expensive to afford
Too expensive, so people cannot pay for it.
Usage pattern:
prohibitive + [cost/price/fees/rent/rates]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it to mean simply 'illegal'; in modern use it very often means 'too expensive'.
Synonyms
unaffordable (Directly focuses on inability to pay.)
|
exorbitant (Emphasizes that the price is unreasonably high.)
|
extortionate (Stronger; implies the price is unfair or exploitative.)
|
steep (More informal; often used for prices or increases.)
Antonyms
affordable (Cheap enough for most people to pay.)
|
reasonable (Not too high for the situation.)
Collocations
prohibitive cost
|prohibitive price
|prohibitive fees
|prohibitive rent
|prohibitive interest rates
|prohibitive insurance premiums
|prohibitive expenses
|prohibitive tuition
|prohibitive charges
|prohibitive entry fee
Themes
money
|shopping
|daily_life
|business
Examples
- In the city center, rents are prohibitive for most students.
- The repair estimate was prohibitive, so we decided to replace the car instead.
- For small businesses, the upfront licensing fees can be prohibitive.
Learner examples
- The tickets are prohibitive for me.
- Housing here is too costly—almost prohibitive.
adjective
C1
property
2
stopping something from happening
So hard or strict that it stops people from doing something.
Usage pattern:
prohibitive + [rule/requirement/condition/obstacle]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with 'prohibited' (not allowed). 'Prohibitive' usually describes something that has a blocking effect.
Synonyms
restrictive (Focuses on limiting freedom or options.)
|
onerous (Emphasizes that it is burdensome to comply with.)
|
discouraging (Focuses on reducing willingness to try.)
Antonyms
permissive (Allowing more freedom or fewer limits.)
|
lenient (Not strict or demanding.)
Collocations
prohibitive regulations
|prohibitive requirements
|prohibitive conditions
|prohibitive restrictions
|prohibitive workload
|prohibitive schedule
|prohibitive distance
|prohibitive barriers
|prohibitive entry requirements
|prohibitive bureaucracy
Themes
rules
|work
|education
|travel
|business
Examples
- The visa process is so slow and costly that it becomes prohibitive for many applicants.
- The equipment is available, but the training time is prohibitive.
- For some families, the travel distance to the clinic is prohibitive.
Learner examples
- The rules are too strict and become prohibitive.
- The long commute is prohibitive for her.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
intended to ban or discourage
Made to stop something, often by making it very hard or costly.
Usage pattern:
prohibitive + [law/legislation/tariff/tax/measure]
Common mistake:
In this sense, 'prohibitive' is about the intention or purpose (to prevent), not just the effect.
Synonyms
prohibitory (More direct meaning 'serving to prohibit'; more formal.)
|
banning (More explicit; focuses on an outright ban.)
Antonyms
allowing (Permits the activity rather than blocking it.)
|
enabling (Makes the activity possible or easier.)
Collocations
prohibitive law
|prohibitive legislation
|prohibitive tariff
|prohibitive tax
|prohibitive measures
|prohibitive policy
|prohibitive duty
|prohibitive sanctions
|prohibitive ban
|prohibitive pricing
Themes
law
|government
|trade
|business
Examples
- The country introduced a prohibitive tariff on imported cars to protect local manufacturers.
- Critics argued that the proposed law was prohibitive and would effectively shut down small operators.
- The policy imposed prohibitive penalties for minor violations.
Learner examples
- The government set a prohibitive tax on cigarettes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
prohibitive
IPA
GB/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪv/
US/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪv/
Syllables & stress
pro - hib - it - ive (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (hib)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: prohibitive
Word family
Core family
Advanced or less common
prohibitory
adjective
prohibitionist
noun
Expressions
at a prohibitive cost
1/ˈæt ə pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪv kˈɔst/
fixed phrase
only possible with huge expense
Only possible if you pay too much money.
Examples
- They can deliver in 24 hours, but only at a prohibitive cost.
- The house could be renovated, but at a prohibitive cost.
- We could expand the team, but at a prohibitive cost right now.
prohibitive tariff
1/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪv tˈɛɹəf/
fixed phrase
business
tariff set to block imports
A very high import tax that stops people from importing something.
Examples
- The company stopped exporting there after a prohibitive tariff was introduced.
- Farmers supported the prohibitive tariff on foreign produce.
- Negotiators pushed to remove prohibitive tariffs that were hurting trade.
prohibitively expensive
1/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪvli ɪkspˈɛnsɪv/
fixed phrase
so expensive you can't buy it
Extremely expensive—too expensive to pay for.
Examples
- Without a scholarship, the course is prohibitively expensive.
- Owning a car downtown can be prohibitively expensive because of parking.
- The new medication is effective, but prohibitively expensive for many patients.
prohibitively expensive
1/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪvli ɪkspˈɛnsɪv/
fixed phrase
too expensive to buy
Too expensive to afford.
Examples
- A private room was prohibitively expensive, so we booked a shared one.
- Electric cars used to be prohibitively expensive for many drivers.
- The repair would be prohibitively expensive for a ten-year-old laptop.
prohibitively high
1/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪvli hˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
too high to accept
Too high, so you cannot do it or choose it.
Examples
- Interest rates were prohibitively high for first-time buyers.
- The insurance premium is prohibitively high because the area floods often.
- For many households, childcare costs are prohibitively high.
prohibitively high
1/pɹoʊhˈɪbɪtɪvli hˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
too high to be acceptable
So high that people cannot pay or do it.
Examples
- The interest rate was prohibitively high, so they didn’t take the loan.
- Application fees are prohibitively high for many students.
- In peak season, hotel prices can be prohibitively high.