- 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
Maniac Magee
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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.
Give them something that’s OK to climb, rather than leaving them with something forbidden.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
A defense of yelling in restaurants: It’s a forbidden behavior in today’s restaurants—but Amanda Albee spoke to chefs who say it massively improved their careers.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
This wasn’t just because a third term is forbidden by the Constitution.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026
Under local regulations in the region, "it is forbidden to needlessly disturb, attract or pursue a polar bear", which was declared a protected species in Svalbard in 1972.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Electric typewriters were forbidden lest they be bugged by MI6.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
