forbade

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "forbade" is correct and usable in written English.
It is most commonly used as the past tense form of the verb "forbid", which means to command or order someone not to do something. For example, "The teacher forbade the students from talking during the exam".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Legislation neither explicitly forbade it (except in so far as it forbade murder) nor enshrined it as a right.

The Economist

He also said religious reasons forbade the party from sending members to Lebanon's neighbour.

The Guardian

Her grandparents forbade her to look down at her shoes or make subservient gestures when talking to white people.

The Guardian - Books

They could not tell her why, apart from that the government of India forbade her to leave the country.

The Guardian - Opinion

Butterflies have been considered to be human souls in many eras and cultures: in 17th-century Ireland, an edict forbade the killing of white butterflies because they were regarded as the souls of children.

The Guardian - Film

To ensure an adequate supply of building materials in a region of stoneless wetlands, Peter forbade construction in stone anywhere else in Russia.In the end, Peter got his comeuppance from nature: a flash flood nearly drowned him in 1721 on Nevsky Prospekt, St Petersburg's main street.

The Economist

In the run-up to the election, Mauricio Funes, the outgoing president, used the airwaves to slam Arena, even though electoral rules forbade that.Given the narrowness of the results, it is hardly surprising that Mr Quijano has challenged them.

The Economist

After he forbade the army to take part in an athletics contest last month because the Maoists' former army, currently corralled under UN supervision, was also to take part, the government asked General Katawal to explain himself on all three issues.

The Economist

After Japan's defeat in the second world war, America foisted on it a pacifist constitution that limited its forces to the role of self-defence and forbade it to send them abroad.

The Economist

At last, after many accidents, mostly fatal, the USAF forbade serving more than 12 hours on five-minute status.

The Economist

The resolution forbade trade in missile technology with North Korea and called for a halt to missile testing.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "forbade" when you want to indicate that an action was prohibited or not allowed in the past. It is suitable for formal and informal contexts, but ensure the context aligns with the tone of the writing.

Common error

Avoid using "forbid" instead of "forbade" when referring to a past action. "Forbid" is the base form, while "forbade" is the correct past tense form. Example: "The rules forbade smoking" is correct, whereas "The rules forbid smoking yesterday" is incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "forbade" is to serve as the past tense of the verb "forbid". As Ludwig AI notes, it indicates a past action of prohibiting or disallowing something. It connects a subject with an action they prevented.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "forbade" is the past tense of the verb "forbid" and is used to indicate that something was prohibited in the past. Ludwig AI confirms that "forbade" is grammatically correct and usable in written English. As a verb, it directly expresses an action of prohibiting or preventing something. It’s most frequently encountered in news and media contexts, reflecting its use in reporting rules, regulations, and past restrictions. While acceptable in both formal and informal settings, it tends toward a neutral to slightly formal register. When writing, ensure you are using "forbade" to accurately convey that a prohibition occurred in the past, and consider synonyms like "banned" or "prohibited" for different shades of meaning or levels of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prohibited

Replaces "forbade" with a direct synonym, emphasizing legal or formal prevention.

banned

A shorter, more forceful synonym implying official prohibition.

outlawed

Implies the action was made illegal.

interdicted

A more formal and somewhat archaic synonym for forbidding.

enjoined

Suggests a more legal or formal command not to do something.

precluded

Focuses on making something impossible or preventing it from happening.

prevented from doing

Expresses the action of stopping someone from performing a task.

made it illegal to

Directly states the action was made unlawful.

proscribed

Indicates a formal and often religious condemnation or prohibition.

put a stop to

An idiomatic way of saying that something was halted or prevented.

FAQs

How do I use "forbade" correctly in a sentence?

"Forbade" is the past tense of "forbid", so use it to describe an action of prohibiting something that occurred in the past. For example, "The teacher "prohibited" the use of phones in class", meaning the teacher did not allow phones during class at a specific point in the past.

What's a simpler way to say "forbade"?

Alternatives to "forbade" include "banned", "prohibited", or "didn't allow". The choice depends on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "forbade" formal or informal?

"Forbade" can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It's a standard English word, but synonyms like "banned" might be more common in casual conversation.

What's the difference between "forbade" and "forbidden"?

"Forbade" is the simple past tense of "forbid", while "forbidden" is the past participle. Use "forbade" to describe a completed action in the past (e.g., "The sign forbade parking"). Use "forbidden" with auxiliary verbs like "is", "was", or "has" to form perfect tenses or passive voice (e.g., "Parking is forbidden").