What Does ‘Prohibitive’ Mean? GRE Vocabulary Explained
Learn the meaning, usage, and importance of ‘prohibitive’ for the GRE. Discover its origins, synonyms, antonyms, and common usage errors to boost your vocabulary and improve your test performance.
Imagine walking into a luxury car dealership, eyeing that sleek sports car you’ve always dreamed of, only to see a price tag that makes your jaw drop.
That’s when you realize the cost is prohibitive. But what exactly does prohibitive mean, and why is it important for your GRE vocabulary?
Let’s find out.
Word type: Prohibitive is an adjective.
Meaning: Prohibitive describes something so high in price or cost that it prevents people from buying, doing, or using it.
It can also refer to something that forbids or inhibits.
Word history: The term prohibitive comes from the Latin word prohibere, which means to hold back or prevent.
It entered the English language in the mid nineteenth century, initially used to describe laws or regulations that forbade certain actions.
Over time, its usage expanded to include the sense of something being so costly that it discourages or prevents action.
Antonyms: Some opposites of prohibitive include affordable, reasonable, and manageable.
Synonyms: Words with similar meanings to prohibitive include exorbitant, excessive, unreasonable, and restrictive.
Examples use in sentences: The prohibitive cost of housing in major cities is forcing many young professionals to live with roommates well into their thirties.
The new environmental regulations proved prohibitive for many small businesses, causing some to shut down.
The prohibitive nature of the dress code discouraged many students from attending the formal dance. Common errors in use: One common mistake is confusing prohibitive with prohibited.
While prohibitive means something is so expensive or difficult that it prevents action, prohibited means something is forbidden by law or rule.
For example, Smoking is prohibited in this building is correct, but Smoking is prohibitive in this building is incorrect.
In the context of the GRE, understanding the word prohibitive is crucial. It often appears in reading comprehension passages discussing economics, social issues, or business scenarios.
Being able to recognize and use this word correctly can help you better understand complex texts and express yourself more precisely in the analytical writing section.
Remember, prohibitive isn’t just about high prices it’s about anything so costly, difficult, or discouraging that it prevents action or participation.
Keep this nuanced meaning in mind as you encounter prohibitive in your GRE prep and beyond.
