forbidding

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /fɚˈbɪdɪŋ/ UK /fəˈbɪdɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
unfriendly or threatening in appearance; grim

The castle's forbidding walls deterred all visitors.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unfriendly or threatening... menacing grim threatening ominous stern hostile daunting intimidating

Opposites

inviting welcoming friendly approachable genial

Word family

Forms forbiddingly

Derived forms forbiddinglyforbiddingness

Related forms forbid forbidden forbiddance

Etymology

The present participle of forbid (Old English forbeodan 'to prohibit'), used adjectivally of an appearance that seems to warn one off. The base joins for- ('against') with beodan ('to bid, command').

forbeodan Old English beodan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# forbidding

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /fɚˈbɪdɪŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /fəˈbɪdɪŋ/

## Meanings
1. unfriendly or threatening in appearance; grim

## Examples
- The castle's forbidding walls deterred all visitors.

## Synonyms
- menacing
- grim
- threatening
- ominous
- stern
- hostile
- daunting
- intimidating

## Antonyms
- inviting
- welcoming
- friendly
- approachable
- genial

## Derived Forms
- forbiddingly
- forbiddingness

## Related Forms
- forbid
- forbidden
- forbiddance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: forbeodan
- Root: beodan

## Etymology
The present participle of forbid (Old English forbeodan 'to prohibit'), used adjectivally of an appearance that seems to warn one off. The base joins for- ('against') with beodan ('to bid, command').

## AI Etymology
For forbidding, the present participle of forbid (Old English forbeodan 'to prohibit'), used adjectivally of an appearance that seems to warn one off. The base joins for- ('against') with beodan ('to bid, command'). In present-day use, it means unfriendly or threatening in appearance; grim. Derived formations include forbiddingly and forbiddingness. Related vocabulary includes forbid, forbidden, and forbiddance.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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