- past participle of forbid.
forbidden
Americanverb
adjective
-
not allowed; prohibited.
a forbidden food in his religion.
-
Physics. involving a change in quantum numbers that is not permitted by the selection rules.
forbidden transition.
adjective
-
not permitted by order or law
-
physics involving a change in quantum numbers that is not permitted by certain rules derived from quantum mechanics, esp rules for changes in the electrical dipole moment of the system
Usage
It was formerly considered incorrect to talk of forbidding someone from doing something, but in modern usage either from or to can be used: he was forbidden from entering/to enter the building
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of forbidden
First recorded in 1200–50, for the adjective
Explanation
When something is forbidden, it's not allowed. You were forbidden to use your father's computer but you did it anyway — and that's why you're grounded. You may recognize the phrase "forbidden fruit," which refers to a famous Bible story about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They ate an apple that God had forbidden them to eat, and there were terrible consequences. "Forbidden fruit" refers to something you want even more than you might otherwise, because you're not allowed to have it. If you know a little German, you may notice that forbidden sounds like its German equivalent, verboten.
Vocabulary lists containing forbidden
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Code Talker
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During his first term, China feted him like a favorite prince with various ceremonies: a private tour of the Forbidden City, followed by a performance by the Peking Opera and a huge state dinner.
From Salon • May 14, 2026
On his previous trip, Trump received the rare honor of a state banquet inside the Forbidden City.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Joyce’s works had never been placed on the Vatican’s Index of Forbidden Books, but for decades after independence in 1922 they and countless others met opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
On Thursday, Merz is to visit Beijing's Forbidden City, then a Mercedes plant where autonomously driving vehicles will be presented.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
It was rare for a witch to be jailed; only killings on a mass scale and usage of dangerous Forbidden Curses ever warranted it.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
