Synonym of PROHIBIT.

**The reasoning** To **prohibit** means to formally forbid or prevent something from happening — usually by law or authority. When you're looking for a synonym, you need a word with the *same* meaning. **Ban** means to officially forbid or stop something. Example: "The school banned phones in class" = "The school prohibited phones in class." They're interchangeable. This is a **vocabulary/synonym recognition** question testing whether you understand word meanings and can identify similar terms. **Why the wrong options tempt you** - **Allow** is the *opposite* (antonym) of prohibit — many students confuse opposites with synonyms under exam pressure - **Help** sounds positive like "allow," but has no connection to forbidding - **Sell** is completely unrelated; might catch students who are rushing **Quick takeaway** When you see PROHIBIT, think "STOP" or "FORBID" — BAN is just another way to say the same thing. If something is prohibited, it's banned!