debar — to officially prevent someone from entering a place or participating in an activity
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to officially prevent someone from entering a place or participating in an activity
Pronunciation (IPA): /dɪˈbɑːr/
Example Sentences
- The club decided to debar him after he started karaoke at 3 AM during a business meeting.
- The bar association will debar any lawyer who practices magic tricks during court proceedings.
- Students who bring their pet hamsters to the library will be debarred from using the facilities.
debar
VERB[/dɪˈbɑːr/]
to officially prevent someone from entering a place or participating in an activity

The committee voted to debar the corrupt lawyer from practicing ever again.

A fallen star will debar you from the bar!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from French 'débarrer', originally meaning 'to remove a bar or bolt'. The term evolved paradoxically from its literal sense of unbarring or unlocking to mean 'to obstruct' or 'to prohibit', reflecting a semantic shift in legal and administrative usage.
Breakdown
de- (away, remove) + bar (barrier, bolt) + -er (French infinitive suffix). The prefix 'de-' negates or removes the action of 'bar', creating the sense of blocking or preventing access.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The club decided to debar him after he started karaoke at 3 AM during a business meeting.”
“The bar association will debar any lawyer who practices magic tricks during court proceedings.”
“Students who bring their pet hamsters to the library will be debarred from using the facilities.”
“The medical board may debar physicians who violate professional ethics.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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