Synonyms of forbidding
76 similar words · 3 opposite words
Another word for forbidding is severe. Other synonyms of forbidding are cold-eyed, grim, harsh, cruel and marble-hearted. The opposite of forbidding is inviting.
Synonyms and similar words for forbidding
adjectiveAppearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
- bleak
- frostyHaving an aloof or inhospitable manner.
- grimDismal and gloomy, cold and forbidding.
- uninvitingNot inviting, not attractive, not welcoming.
- cheerlessDevoid of cheer; gloomy.
- comfortless
- dark
- moroseSullen, gloomy; showing a brooding ill humour.
- depressing
- desolate
- dire
- disconsolate
- dismal
- dolefulFilled with grief, mournful, bringing feelings of sadness.
- dolesomeCharacterised or marked by sorrow and grief; doleful; dismal; gloomy.
- drearDreary.
- drearisomeCharacterised or marked by dreariness.
- dreary
- dreich UK, dialectal
- forlorn
- gayless
- gray
- gloomsomeCharacterised or marked by gloom.
- gloomy
- joylessWithout joy; unhappy, sad.
- lack-laughterCheerless; sombre; serious.
- lugubriousGloomy, mournful or dismal, especially to an exaggerated degree.
- melancholy
- mirthlessLacking mirth; devoid of joy; sad.
- miserable
- no joke
- saturnine
- somber
- sombre
- spiritlessLacking energy, drive, motivation or emotion. Enervated.
- sullen
- sunless
- uncheerfulNot cheerful.
- uncheeryNot cheery; gloomy, pessimistic.
- unhappy
- unmerryNot merry, the opposite of merry; sad, gloomy.
- wintry
- woeful
- brutalHarsh; unrelenting.
- callousEmotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.
- coldWithout compassion; heartless; ruthless.
- insensate formalUnfeeling, heartless, cruel, insensitive.
- hardhanded
- cold-eyedThat looks coldly or dispassionately; having a fierce or aloof mein.
- cruelHarsh; severe.
- dourStern, harsh and forbidding.
- thick-skinned
- flint-heartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- hardSevere, harsh, unfriendly, brutal.
- hard-boiledOf a person, especially a detective, callous and unsentimental.
- hardenedUnfeeling; pitiless; callous.
- hardheartedLacking in compassion; cold and pitiless.
- heartlessWithout feeling, emotion, or concern for others; uncaring; cruel.
- harshSevere or cruel.
- humorlessLacking humor or levity; serious; not funny, amusing, amused, or lighthearted.
- icyCharacterized by coldness of manner; frigid; cold.
- iron-heartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- insensitiveNot expressing normal emotional feelings; cold; tactless; undiplomatic.
- marble-heartedEmotionally cold, cruel, and unfeeling.
- rigorous
- rockheartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- severeStrict or harsh.
- sternGrim and forbidding in appearance.
- stoneheartedSynonym of hardhearted.
- stonyOf a person, lacking warmth and emotion.
- stonyheartedCruel, compassionless, discompassionate, as if having a heart made of stone.
- strictSevere in discipline.
- toughStrict, not lenient.
- unsympatheticNot sympathetic; ill-disposed.
- unmovedNot sympathetic; uncaring.
- solemn obsolete
Opposite of forbidding
adjectiveAppearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
- approachableEasily approached; easy to talk to.
- invitingAlluring; tempting; attractive.
- welcomingHospitable, accessible and cordial.
Meaning of forbidding
- adjective Appearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
- noun The act by which something is forbidden; a prohibition.
Questions about synonyms of forbidding
- What is another word for forbidding?
- Forbidding has 76 synonyms on Word.ws, such as severe, cold-eyed, grim, harsh, cruel, marble-hearted, stern and heartless.
- What is the opposite of forbidding?
- The opposite of forbidding is inviting. Other antonyms of forbidding are welcoming and approachable.
- What does forbidding mean?
- Forbidding means appearing to be threatening, unfriendly or potentially unpleasant.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: forbidding (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this page: “Synonyms of forbidding.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/forbidding. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.