Forbidden
/fərˈbɪdən/
adjectivepast participle (used as adjective)B2past participle (used as adjective)
Definition
Forbidden describes things that people are not allowed to do, use, or have. It usually comes from rules, laws, or strong instructions that say something must not happen or be done. When something is forbidden, it is not just unwanted but officially or strongly stopped.
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See It in Action
Not allowed by law, rule, or authority
- •Smoking is forbidden in this building.
- •It is forbidden to park here during rush hour.
- •The use of mobile phones is forbidden during the exam.
Used as a strong warning or prohibition
- •The forbidden fruit in the story made the character curious.
- •They entered the forbidden area even though signs warned them not to.
- •The forbidden love between the two characters was the main story.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "forbidden" like "not allowed," but stronger because it often comes from official rules or laws
- ✓Picture a big red stop sign or a "No Entry" sign that tells you clearly to stop or not go
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to do something but know you must not because it is against the rules, like sneaking into a closed park
- ✓Sounds like "for-BID-den" → imagine someone saying "I BID you not to do this," like a strong command
- ✓Think of fairy tales where a prince is told "You are forbidden to enter the dark forest," making it sound serious and important
- ✓NOT like "disliked" (which means people don't like it), but "forbidden" means it is not allowed at all
- ✓NOT like "optional" or "allowed," it means the opposite—strictly stopped or banned
Try Other Words
- •Prohibited: officially not allowed (Use when talking about formal rules or laws)
- •Banned: stopped completely by authority (Use when something is stopped and removed from use or access)
- •Not allowed: simple way to say something is not permitted (Use in everyday speech or informal situations)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "for-" (a prefix meaning "against" or "completely") + "bid" (to order or command) + "-den" (past participle ending)
- •Etymology: From Old English "forbidden," past participle of "forbid," meaning to order against something
- •Historical development: Used since Old English times to mean something ordered not to be done or allowed
- •Modern usage: Used as adjective to describe things that rules or laws do not allow; common in legal, social, and everyday contexts
Reflect & Connect
•How do rules that forbid things help or limit people in daily life?
•Can something be forbidden but still very tempting? Why do you think that happens?
Fill in the blanks
1.Smoking is forbidden ___ many public places because it can harm people's health.
2.The sign said "No entry," which means the area is forbidden ___ everyone except staff.
3.She felt curious about the forbidden ___, even though she knew she should not touch it.
4.When a behavior is forbidden, it usually means there are ___ or punishments if you do it.
5.The rules forbid ___ phones during the test, so students must turn them off.
6.Forbidden often means something is not allowed by ___ or official instructions.
7.Even though it was forbidden, they decided to ___ the rules and go inside.