proscription
gb/pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən/ us/pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
rule
1
an official ban
an official rule that says something is not allowed
Usage pattern:
the proscription of [something]
Common mistake:
Often confused with prescription (a doctor’s order or a recommended rule).
Synonyms
prohibition (More common and less formal.)
|
ban (More general and frequent in everyday use.)
|
forbiddance (Less common; emphasizes the act of forbidding.)
Antonyms
permission (Official allowance rather than official forbidding.)
|
authorization (Formal approval to do something.)
Collocations
legal proscription
|government proscription
|state proscription
|strict proscription
|proscription of drugs
|proscription of alcohol
|proscription of smoking
|proscription of certain books
|lift the proscription
|impose a proscription
Themes
law
|government
|society
Examples
- The proscription of indoor smoking led many bars to build outdoor patios.
- The new law marked the proscription of several pesticides linked to groundwater pollution.
- The group argued that proscription would only drive the practice underground.
Learner examples
- There is a proscription on selling fireworks here.
- The proscription of plastic bags starts next month.
Noun
formal
C2
rule
2
official outlawing of a group
the official act of making a group illegal or excluded
Usage pattern:
the proscription of [group/party/organization]
Common mistake:
Learners may use proscription when they mean prosecution (taking legal action against someone).
Synonyms
blacklisting (Often suggests an informal or administrative list, not necessarily a law.)
|
outlawing (Directly emphasizes making something illegal.)
|
exclusion (Broader; may be social rather than legal.)
Antonyms
legalization (Making something lawful rather than illegal.)
|
recognition (Official acceptance rather than official exclusion.)
Collocations
political proscription
|party proscription
|proscription of extremist groups
|proscription of opposition parties
|proscription powers
|proscription order
|proscription regime
|call for proscription
|subject to proscription
|proscription list
Themes
politics
|law
|society
Examples
- The minister defended the proscription of the organization, citing repeated calls for violence.
- Civil rights groups warned that proscription could be used to silence peaceful dissent.
- After the coup, the proscription of opposition parties left voters with no real choices.
Learner examples
- The government announced the proscription of the group.
- The party faced proscription under the new security law.
Noun
literary
C2
event
3
historical punishment with confiscation
in history, officially declaring someone an enemy and taking their property
Usage pattern:
a proscription; the proscription of [someone]
Synonyms
banishment (Does not necessarily include confiscation or a death sentence.)
|
attainder (A legal term for loss of civil rights/property after condemnation; narrower and more technical.)
Antonyms
pardon (Official forgiveness rather than official condemnation.)
|
amnesty (General official forgiveness for political offenses.)
Collocations
Roman proscriptions
|the proscriptions of Sulla
|the proscriptions of the triumvirs
|a wave of proscriptions
|lists of proscription
|victims of proscription
|decree of proscription
|political proscriptions
|property confiscated in proscription
Themes
history
|politics
|law
Examples
- During the Roman proscriptions, wealthy families feared confiscation as much as execution.
- He fled the city after his name appeared on the proscription list.
- The historian describes the proscriptions as a tool for eliminating rivals and funding armies.
Grammar
Dictionary form
proscription
IPA
GB/pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən/
US/pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən/
Syllables & stress
pro - scrip - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (scrip)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: proscription
- Plural: proscription, proscriptions
Word family
Forms
proscriptions
noun
Core family
proscribe
verb C1
proscriptive
adjective
Advanced or less common
proscriptively
adverb
Expressions
place [someone/something] under proscription
1/plˈeɪs sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ ˈʌndɚ pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
officially outlaw or ban
to officially say something is not allowed
Examples
- The regulator moved to place the product under proscription after safety reports emerged.
- The new decree placed the movement under proscription and froze its assets.
proscription list
1/pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən lˈɪst/
fixed phrase
formal
official list of banned people
an official list of people or groups that are banned
Examples
- The charity worried it could end up on a proscription list because of its overseas partners.
- In the chronicle, rivals were added to the proscription list after the regime changed.
under proscription
1/ˈʌndɚ pɹoʊskɹˈɪpʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
officially banned
officially not allowed
Examples
- The book remains under proscription in several countries.
- For decades, the language was under proscription in state schools.