"Proscribe" vs. "prohibit": words that govern limits

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 04/10/2024, 03:57

English.me team member

Proscribe and prohibit. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both "proscribe" and "prohibit" involve the action of forbidding something.

What is different?

"Proscribe" often implies banning something officially or condemning it, with a formal connotation. "Prohibit" is more general and commonly used in everyday language to mean to forbid by law or authority.

Which one is more common?

Examples of usage

Proscribe

The government decided to proscribe the organization due to its illegal activities.
Certain books were proscribed during the regime for containing subversive material.

Prohibit

Smoking indoors is prohibited by law.
The school prohibits the use of mobile phones during class hours.