Forbidden Word Game — Word Lists

How to use these lists

These are the exact words the browser game deals during play. You’re welcome to pick words by hand and run the game out loud — but the fastest way is to let the site deal: choose a category, enter your players, and everyone gets a word with no duplicates.

Pick a category

• Everyday words40 wordsWords that come up in everyday chat. If it’s your first game, start here.
• Filler words (hardest)40 words“Like”, “actually”, “honestly” — fillers that slip out even when you’re careful. The hardest set, for veterans.
• Funny crowd-pleasers40 wordsWords where tricking someone into saying them is half the fun.
• Kids & classroom40 wordsSimple words every kid knows. Great for families and classrooms.
• Work & office party40 wordsOffice parties, reunions, after-work drinks. If you drink, drink responsibly.
• Love & couples40 wordsFor couples and friends talking love — words the gossip can’t move without.
• Food words only40 wordsEveryone’s forbidden word is a food. Perfect over lunch or dinner.
• Shared forbidden word30 wordsFor the variant where everyone is banned from the same word. The more essential the word, the harder it gets.Variant rules playable in the app

How to pick good words

• Pick words the player actually uses — catchphrases, work talk, favorite foods. The better you know someone, the sharper the word you can pick for them.
• Start newcomers on Everyday words, push veterans to Filler words (hardest) — filler words (“like”, “actually”) are the hardest set in the game.
• Common beats clever — a word nobody would ever say makes a boring round. Everyday words like “phone” or “time” are the ones people walk into.

Talk topics (30)

The forbidden word game stalls when the conversation does. The browser version shows these talk topics one at a time to keep the table talking — they also work as prompts when you run the game out loud.

• The best thing that happened to you this week
• One thing you really want right now
• What do you do on your days off?
• The best thing you ate recently
• What you wanted to be when you were a kid
• A place you really want to visit
• Something you are into lately
• The first thing you do after waking up
• The hardest you laughed this week
• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• One thing you would bring to a desert island
• A whole week off starting tomorrow — what do you do?
• A movie or show you watched recently
• A favorite memory from school
• A dish you actually know how to cook
• Something you are secretly bad at
• The best thing you bought recently
• Your favorite season, and why
• A small daily routine you swear by
• Something that surprised you recently
• If you could be any animal, which one?
• Time machine: past or future?
• A motto or phrase you live by
• A small fail from this week
• Plans for your next long weekend
• A place you always recommend to people
• The app you use way too much
• A news story you have been following
• Your ideal lazy Sunday
• The last photo you took

Word list FAQ

How many words are there in total?

8 categories and 310 words. The lists on this page and the words the game deals come from the same data, so they never drift apart.

Can we use our own words?

Of course. Inside jokes only your group knows — nicknames, catchphrases — are the best words in the game. Mix them freely with the site’s automatic dealing, or with the classic pen-and-sticky-note way.

Is there a kid-friendly list?

Yes. The “Kids & classroom” category uses only words elementary schoolers know. Built for family game night and classroom time-fillers.

How do I use the lists if we’re playing on paper?

Pick words from this page, write one per sticky note, and stick each note on its owner’s forehead or back without letting them see it. If you’d rather skip the crafting, one-phone mode does the same thing on screen.