4 syllables: Pro, hi, bi, tion. Stress on bi.
proh-uh-BISH-uhn
/ˌpɹoʊəˈbɪʃən/
Prohibition is pronounced proh-uh-BISH-uhn (/ˌpɹoʊəˈbɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Pro-hi-bi-tion), with the stress on "bi". Prohibition is a formal ban imposed by law or authority, often referring to the period in U.S. history when the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages were illegal. It denotes a systemic restriction enforced by government policy and enforcement. The term emphasizes the legal prohibition of a particular practice rather than everyday regulation.
nounProhibition is a formal ban imposed by law or authority, often referring to the period in U.S. history when the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages were illegal. It denotes a systemic restriction enforced by government policy and enforcement. The term emphasizes the legal prohibition of a particular practice rather than everyday regulation.
How to Pronounce Prohibition
"During Prohibition in the 1920s, speakeasies thrived despite the laws."
"The prohibition of plastic bags in the city aimed to reduce environmental waste."
"He spoke about the prohibition of smoking in indoor public spaces."
Pronunciation: /ˌproʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/ (US); /ˌprəʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/ (UK); /ˌproʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪ.ən/ (AU). The primary stress falls on the third syllable: pro-hi-BI-tion. Start with a clear ‘pro’ like ‘pro’ in ‘professional,’ then a quick ‘hi’ → ‘bih’ as in ‘bid,’ and end with ‘zish-ən’ with a soft “sh” and a schwa in unstressed positions. In connected speech, the second syllable may reduce slightly to a quick “uh.” Audio references: you can listen to Forvo or YouGlish for natural speaker pronunciations.
Common errors include misplacing stress, saying pro-PHY-bition or pro-uh-BISH-uhn, and overpronouncing the final /ən/. Correct approach: place primary stress on the third syllable, pronounce the middle as /bɪ/ or /bɪz/; ensure the /z/ is voiced and the final /ən/ ends with a soft schwa then n. Practice segments: /ˌproʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/ to avoid rushing the ending. Listening to native speakers helps build natural rhythm.
US: full pronunciation with clear /ˈzɪʃ.ən/ ending and sometimes /oʊ/ in /ˌproʊ/; stress on BI. UK: often a slightly more clipped /ˌprəʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/ with a lighter second syllable, and more vowel rounding in /əʊ/; AU: similar to US but with broader vowel qualities and non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers, though most speakers articulate the /r/ in /proʊ/ if pronouncing rhotically. Listen to samples from Pronounce and YouGlish for regional patterns.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with a mid-word schwa, the /z/ followed by a slightly tricky /ɪ/ or /ɪʃ/ cluster, and the望 tendency to reduce the second syllable in rapid speech. The primary stress lands on the third syllable, which can catch speakers off guard. Pay attention to the transition from /bɪ/ to /ˈzɪʃ/ and avoid turning the /z/ into a /s/.
One unique aspect is the sequence /ɪbɪˈzɪ/ where the /b/ leads into a soft /ɪ/ before the characteristic /ʃ/ sound in /ʃən/. Also, the word often undergoes vowel reduction in fast speech, causing a subtle schwa in the second syllable. Keep the /z/ voiced and ensure the /j/ sound does not appear; focus on the clean /z/ followed by /ɪ/ or /ɪʃ/ before the final /ən/.
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- US: rhoticity, clearer /r/ in initial /proʊ/; mid vowel quality of /oʊ/; stress BI. - UK: non-rhotic or lightly rhotic, more clipped vowels, /əʊ/ in /proʊ/ becomes /prəʊ/; BI stress preserved. - AU: similar to US but with broader vowel sounds and sometimes less pronounced /r/; maintain the /ɪ/ before /ʃ/. - IPA references: US /ˌproʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/, UK /ˌprəʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/, AU /ˌpɹoʊ.ɪ.bɪˈzɪʃ.ən/.
Prohibition derives from the Latin prohibere, meaning “to ward off, prevent, restrain,” from pro- “forward, in front” + habere “to have, hold.” The English form prohibition appeared in the 1600s, initially indicating the act of forbidding or restraining. In legal and political contexts, it evolved to describe formal bans enacted by statutes or constitutions. The term gained widespread cultural significance in the United States during the Prohibition era (1919–1933), when the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. The era shaped associations with governance, crime, and social change, reinforcing the word as both a legal concept and a historical period. Across different jurisdictions, prohibition can refer to bans on drugs, weapons, or other regulated items. In modern usage, it often appears in policy discussions about public health, safety, or moral regulation, keeping the core sense of formal legal restriction while expanding to varied domains.
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Words that rhyme with "Prohibition"
-ion sounds
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