God forbid
May it not
God forbid is an expression of strong hope that something will not happen: God forbid she finds out about this.
It invokes divine intervention against an unwanted outcome, though speakers need not be religious.
The phrase often introduces feared scenarios: God forbid anything should happen to you.
Heaven forbid serves as a softer alternative.
Compassion toward offenders
- save usUrgent appeal for deliverance
- deliver usGrant us salvation
- knock on woodSuperstitious phrase averting jinx
- touch woodSuperstitious luck-preserving exclamation
fingers crossed · ward off · avert · prevent · intercede
Most unfavorable possibility
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
- unthinkableToo terrible to contemplate
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- disasterSudden ruinous event
tragedy · calamity · horror · dreaded · feared · unimaginable · terrible · awful
Not wished for
- undesirableNot wanted or sought
- avoidStay away from
- preventStop in advance
- forestallPrevent by prior action
avert · ward off · last thing · wishful · fingers crossed · unlikely · improbable · against the odds
mercy
Compassion toward offenders
- save usUrgent appeal for deliverance
- deliver usGrant us salvation
- knock on woodSuperstitious phrase averting jinx
touch wood · fingers crossed · ward off · avert · prevent · intercede
worst case
Most unfavorable possibility
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
- unthinkableToo terrible to contemplate
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
disaster · tragedy · calamity · horror · dreaded · feared · unimaginable · terrible · awful · devastating
unwanted
Not wished for
- undesirableNot wanted or sought
- avoidStay away from
- preventStop in advance
forestall · avert · ward off · last thing · wishful · fingers crossed · unlikely · improbable · against the odds · chance
- Sacred Phrasesamen, hallelujah, alleluia, glory be, blessed be
God forbidGod willing
Conditional hope invoking deity
God bless · please God · Lord willing · thank God · praise be
God forbidbring it on
Defiant acceptance of challenge
come what may · so be it · let it be · welcome · here's to
forbid, God, forbidden, godly, goddess, godsend, forbidding, godliness, godson