taboo

American  

[tuh-boo, ta-] / təˈbu, tæ- /

Or tabu

adjective

1. proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable.

   Taboo language is usually bleeped on TV.

   Synonyms:

   forbidden

   Antonyms:

   permissible, allowed

2. prohibited or excluded from use or practice.

   In art school, painting from photographs was taboo.

3. (among the Polynesians and other peoples of the South Pacific) separated or set apart as sacred; forbidden for general use; placed under a prohibition or ban.

   Synonyms:

   inviolable, sacrosanct

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noun

plural

taboos

1. a prohibition or interdiction of anything; exclusion from use or practice.

   One of the strongest taboos in all modern societies is against incest.

   Synonyms:

   no-no, interdiction, embargo, proscription, ban

2. (among the Polynesians and other peoples of the South Pacific)

   1. the system, practice, or act whereby things are set apart as sacred, forbidden for general use, or placed under a prohibition or interdiction.

   2. the condition of being so set apart, forbidden, or interdicted.

3. exclusion from social relations; ostracism.

verb (used with object)

tabooed, tabooing

1. to put under a taboo; prohibit or forbid.

   Synonyms:

   proscribe, forbid, ban, prohibit

   Antonyms:

   sanction, permit, allow

2. to ostracize (a person, group, etc.).

   While he is tabooed, no one may speak to him.

taboo British  

/ təˈbuː /

adjective

1. forbidden or disapproved of; placed under a social prohibition or ban

   taboo words

2. (in Polynesia and other islands of the South Pacific) marked off as simultaneously sacred and forbidden

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noun

1. any prohibition resulting from social or other conventions

2. ritual restriction or prohibition, esp of something that is considered holy or unclean

verb

1. (tr) to place under a taboo

taboo Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for words, objects, actions, or people that are forbidden by a group or culture. The expression comes from the religion of islanders of the South Pacific.

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Usage

What is taboo? Taboo describes an activity or behavior that is considered completely unacceptable or forbidden. A taboo is also the prohibition from engaging in such an activity or behavior through social rules, laws, religious doctrine, and even by your own conscience. Something considered taboo is considered unacceptable by the vast majority of a person’s social group. Often, there is a serious punishment for performing the taboo activity. Many activities that we refer to as crimes are examples of taboos, such as theft, murder, and kidnapping. These activities are considered unacceptable by the government or the law and have strict punishments. Sacred religious writings also outline specific activities as taboo and shouldn’t be done by the religion’s followers. For example, Jewish law considers pork to be taboo, so many Jewish people do not eat pork. Sometimes, taboos are so unacceptable to a society that laws are not needed to forbid people from doing them. Even thinking about them or reading about them can make you feel disgusted, which gives you an idea of how powerful the label of taboo can be.

Related Words

See forbid.

Etymology

Origin of taboo

First recorded in 1770–80; from Tongan tabu “forbidden, prohibited”; the spellings tabu and taboo both appear in Captain James Cook's journal in 1777

Explanation

Something considered taboo is naughty, something society considers a no-no. For example, it is taboo to ask people how much money they earn. Taboo is one of those rare words in the English language that doesn't have Greek or Latin or French roots, coming instead from the South Pacific Islands in the eighteenth century via the explorer Captain Cook. For many islanders some things were tabu, meaning not only could they not be done but they could not be talked about either for risk of offending the Gods. This latter meaning still applies today (minus the spiritual underpinning), when we say that certain subjects are "taboo," meaning off-limits for discussion.

Example Sentences

Praised by media critics for confronting a subject that is largely seen as taboo, it has sparked conversations on social media about consent and misogyny.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

The grading-proposal committee said this will make A-minuses more common—and therefore less taboo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

But with your tax preparer, the conversation will turn quickly to that taboo topic — your income.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

A longstanding taboo in Chinese culture against used goods, seen as unclean or a shameful sign of poverty, is lifting rapidly.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Related Words

• anathema
• inhibition
• no-no
• prohibition
• stricture
• superstition