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
Maniac Magee
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Code Talker
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myPerspectives 8.2
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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.
But if biological mothers and fathers are constitutionally forbidden from transferring parental rights, then many adoption consents are null and void.
From Slate • May 13, 2026
The theme of forbidden gay and lesbian love runs throughout.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
Then I found out sneakers were forbidden on the carpet.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Early on, Ekwe touches a forbidden plant that sends his spirit into an “astral realm,” allowing him to move through time and space.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
A starving Greek community defies Nazi soldiers by hanging out thousands of forbidden national flags.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
