What does debar mean?
Word: Debar
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Debar means to officially stop someone from doing something or from entering a place, usually because of a rule.
Synonyms: ban, bar, prohibit
Antonyms: allow, admit, permit
How do you spell debar?
Syllables: de - bar
Tricky part: Debar itself ends in a single r, but the r doubles in debarred and debarring because the stress falls on bar. Do not confuse it with disbar, which is used only for lawyers.
Watch out for: debaar, debarr, debared
Memory tip: Picture a heavy bar dropped across a gate to keep someone out; the bar stays whole inside the word.
Debar in a sentence
Example 1: The committee can debar a player who misses three training camps in a row.
Example 2: The club can debar members who do not pay their fees for a year.
Example 3: A court order debarred the company from bidding for government contracts.
Fun Fact
In many Indian schools and colleges the word is heard at exam time, because a student whose attendance falls below 75 per cent can be debarred from sitting the exams.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. persue 2. amatuer 3. vigilent 4. debar
a) a person who does something for pleasure, not as a job
b) follow or chase someone
c) watchful and alert to danger
d) officially stop someone from entering or taking part
Show answer
d) officially stop someone from entering or taking part. Debar is spelt right; vigilant, amateur and pursue were misspelt.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to debar as used in the sentence:
The new rules debar any student who arrives after the bell from entering the examination hall.
a) warn
b) delay
c) excuse
d) exclude
Show answer
d) exclude. The rule shuts latecomers out, which is what exclude means; it does not merely delay, warn or excuse them.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The umpires warned that any player caught tampering with the ball would be dibarred from the next three matches of the tournament.
a) umpires
b) tampering
c) dibarred
d) tournament
Show answer
c) dibarred. The word opens with de, the same prefix as in defend and decide.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Choose the word that completes the sentence: "The club debarred him ____ voting at the meeting."
a) at
b) of
c) from
d) by
Show answer
c) from
2. A student who is debarred from an exam ____.
a) gets extra time to finish it
b) may sit it at home
c) must sit it twice
d) is not allowed to sit it
Show answer
d) is not allowed to sit it
