interdict 1 of 2

interdict

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb interdict differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of interdict are forbid, inhibit, and prohibit. While all these words mean "to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done," interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose.

practices interdicted by the church

When is forbid a more appropriate choice than interdict?

While in some cases nearly identical to interdict, forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected.

smoking is forbidden in the building

When is it sensible to use inhibit instead of interdict?

Although the words inhibit and interdict have much in common, inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation.

conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade

In what contexts can prohibit take the place of interdict?

In some situations, the words prohibit and interdict are roughly equivalent. However, prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations.

prohibited the sale of liquor

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of interdict
Noun
Saudi Arabia and the UAE interdict millions of pills each year. Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 11 Apr. 2024 While the effort to interdict migrants, including traffickers in fentanyl, continues, another topic Texas is only slowly beginning to discuss is how to make more widely available some potentially life-saving devices – fentanyl test strips. Dallas News, 28 Apr. 2022
Verb
Data from Mexico’s National Institute of Migration shows how critical Mexico’s enforcement role has been in blocking, interdicting and, in some cases, deporting U.S.-bound migrants. Didi Martinez, NBC News, 9 Aug. 2024 So far, military strikes, sanctions targeting the Houthi leadership, and efforts to interdict weapons smuggling have all failed to stop attacks. Alexandra Stark, Foreign Affairs, 2 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for interdict 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interdict
Noun
  • Both countries recently announced prohibitions on exports of those materials to one another.
    Melvin Backman, Quartz, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Illinois passed its legacy admission prohibition in August, following Maryland, which enacted a legacy admission ban in April that applies to both public and private colleges.
    Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Players on rehab assignments will be prohibited from using GMS Field’s facilities and will instead train at the club’s player development complex nearby.
    Chris Kirschner, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Gender-affirming medical care and changing one’s gender in official documents are prohibited.
    Dasha Litvinova, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Army intercepted six Navy passes but missed three early field goal attempts.
    Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Williams intercepted Purdy with 5:14 to play, the Rams up 9-6, on a deep end zone shot intended for Jauan Jennings.
    Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • An attempt by the Trump administration to force ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban was found unconstitutional by federal courts on First Amendment grounds.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 18 Dec. 2024
  • The announcement from the Supreme Court comes days after a lower court rejected TikTok's request for a temporary pause of the ban.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • No figgy pudding or, God forbid, baked ham, but black-and-white cookies, lox and bagels, brisket, latkes, babka and kichel.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Antiochus forbade Jews to practice their religion and demanded all copies of the Jewish Law be burned.
    Chris Sims, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • That’s thanks to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld a law that would outlaw TikTok over fears it could be used for foreign surveillance from China.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Although British law technically outlawed slavery in the empire’s colonies in the South Pacific, only a handful of Royal Navy ships patrolled the area.
    Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near interdict

Cite this Entry

“Interdict.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interdict. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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