forbidden: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal to neutral
Quick answer
What does “forbidden” mean?
Not allowed.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Not allowed; officially or morally prohibited.
Can describe something culturally, socially, or legally taboo, or something made inaccessible by powerful restriction.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use identically in meaning and form. The related noun 'forbiddenness' is rare in both.
Connotations
Similar connotations of strictness and taboo.
Frequency
Comparable frequency. Slightly more formal than 'banned' or 'not allowed' in both variants.
Grammar
How to Use “forbidden” in a Sentence
It is forbidden (for someone) to do somethingSomething is forbidden (by someone/something)forbidden from doing somethingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “forbidden” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The headteacher forbade the use of mobile phones in class.
- The law forbids parking here during weekdays.
American English
- The principal forbade students from wearing hats indoors.
- Federal regulations forbid the transport of these chemicals.
adverb
British English
- This action was forbiddenly taken by the rogue agent. (Very rare, archaic/poetic)
American English
- (Extremely rare; 'forbiddenly' is not in standard use.)
adjective
British English
- Smoking is forbidden in the railway carriage.
- They entered a forbidden part of the castle ruins.
American English
- Parking is forbidden in this fire lane.
- The book explored forbidden themes for its time.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The sharing of proprietary data with competitors is strictly forbidden."
Academic
"The study of certain biological materials was forbidden under the old ethical guidelines."
Everyday
"Sorry, dogs are forbidden on the beach during the summer."
Technical
"Access to the root directory is forbidden for standard user accounts."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “forbidden”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “forbidden”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “forbidden”
- Using 'forbidden' as a verb (the verb is 'forbid'). Incorrect: *'They forbidden us from going.' Correct: 'They forbade us from going.'
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'not allowed' or 'can't' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always, but it is stronger than 'not allowed'. It is often used for official, moral, or cultural rules. In everyday rules, 'not allowed' is more common.
They are very close synonyms. 'Prohibited' is slightly more legalistic and official. 'Forbidden' can carry a stronger sense of moral or traditional taboo (e.g., 'forbidden love').
The standard past tense is 'forbade' (pronounced like 'for-bad'). The past participle is 'forbidden'. Some dialects also use 'forbid' as a past tense, but 'forbade' is preferred in formal writing.
Not directly. The related noun is 'forbiddance', but it's rare. The concept is usually expressed with 'prohibition' or 'ban'. In phrases, it acts as a modifier (e.g., 'the forbidden').
Not allowed.
Forbidden is usually formal to neutral in register.
Forbidden: in British English it is pronounced /fəˈbɪd.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /fərˈbɪd.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Forbidden fruit”
- “A forbidden pleasure”
- “Venture into forbidden territory”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a sign saying "FORBIDDEN" on a door. It sounds like 'for-bid-den' – as if someone is bidding (commanding) you 'for' (against) entering.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/ACCESS AS PHYSICAL SPACE ("forbidden territory"), DESIRE AS AN OBJECT ("forbidden fruit").
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST formal synonym for 'forbidden'?