we were prohibited from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we were prohibited from" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone is not allowed to do something, often in formal or legal contexts. Example: "We were prohibited from entering the restricted area without proper authorization."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

She told me, "We don't know where he is buried, and we were prohibited from having a mourning period".

The New Yorker

Rose explained: The special advocates were told what the evidence was, but we were prohibited from discussing the material with the appellant or his lawyers.

The Guardian - Opinion

Although we passed through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, we were prohibited from entering the Excelsior level, having been assigned the lowest of 13 seating levels (although paying $5 like everyone else).

The New York Times

A student may not receive any funds as a post-withdrawal disbursement that we were prohibited from making on or before the date the student withdrew.

Duke University

With sadness in his voice, my grandfather told me that we were prohibited from working.

Huffington Post

The class told us we were prohibited from retaliating against anyone who had filed a sexual harassment complaint.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

But we are prohibited from getting comfortable.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But if somebody came in and their nose had grown that way, we are prohibited from doing the same thing.

The New York Times - Style

"We are prohibited from committing aggression, even if the enemies of Islam do that," Fadl wrote in his fax, which was sent from Tora Prison, in Egypt.

The New Yorker

But we are prohibited from cutting trees which are older than 100 years, or in nature reserves, wet woodlands or peat bogs.

The Guardian

But Dr. Sheldon M. Retchin, the vice chairman of the panel, the National Health Care Workforce Commission, said, "We are prohibited from meeting and discussing these issues".

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we were prohibited from" when you want to convey a formal or official restriction. It implies that there is a rule, law, or authority preventing the action.

Common error

Avoid using "we were prohibited from" when a situation simply wasn't possible due to lack of resources or opportunity. Instead, use phrases like "we were unable to" or "we couldn't" for situations lacking a formal restriction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we were prohibited from" functions as a passive construction indicating a restriction or prohibition imposed upon a group. It shows that an external rule or authority prevented the group from performing a specific action. As seen in Ludwig, this usage is considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we were prohibited from" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to indicate a formal restriction or prohibition. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage across various contexts, primarily in News & Media, Academia, and Science. When writing, remember that this phrase implies a rule or authority prevented the action, and you should consider alternatives like "we were forbidden from" or "we were not allowed to" depending on the desired tone and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we were forbidden from

Replaces "prohibited" with "forbidden", offering a slightly stronger, more direct sense of restriction.

we were not allowed to

Uses a more common and informal expression to convey the lack of permission.

we were restricted from

Substitutes "prohibited" with "restricted", suggesting limitations rather than complete prevention.

we lacked authorization to

Emphasizes the absence of official approval or permission for an action.

we were barred from

Uses "barred" to indicate a more forceful exclusion or prevention.

we were under orders not to

Highlights that the restriction comes from a command or instruction.

it was against the rules for us to

Focuses on the violation of established rules or regulations.

we were prevented from

Indicates that external circumstances or actions stopped the action from occurring.

we did not have the liberty to

Highlights the lack of freedom or entitlement to perform an action.

we were constrained from

Suggests limitations or controls that restricted our actions.

FAQs

What does "we were prohibited from" mean?

It means that there was a rule, law, or authority that prevented you or a group from doing something. It indicates a formal restriction.

What's the difference between "we were prohibited from" and "we were not allowed to"?

While both phrases indicate a lack of permission, "we were prohibited from" suggests a more formal or official restriction. "We were not allowed to" is more general and can apply to informal situations.

Can I use "we were prohibited to" instead of "we were prohibited from"?

No, the correct construction is "we were prohibited from". The preposition "from" is necessary after "prohibited" when indicating what action was restricted.

What are some alternatives to "we were prohibited from"?

You can use alternatives like "we were forbidden from", "we were restricted from", or "we were not allowed to", depending on the context.