What is the forbidden word game?
The forbidden word game (some groups call it the banned words game) is a talking game where every player carries one word they must not say. The twist that makes it work: you’re the only one who can’t see your own word. Everyone else’s words are in plain view, so the whole table plays both sides at once — luring others into their words while guessing what everyone is trying to make you say.
It’s a classic party, sleepover and road-trip game with no single inventor and no official rulebook. The traditional kit is pen, paper and tape — with this site you need nothing at all.
Play it right here (free, no sign-up)The site deals the words. One shared phone, or one phone each.Basic rules (4 steps)
- Deal the words — everyone gets one forbidden word. Its owner never sees it; everyone else checks it.
- Memorize — learn the other players’ words. If you forget who has what, it’s fine to check again mid-game.
- Just talk — chat like normal. Bring up topics and ask questions that nudge the others toward their own words.
- Outs and the win — say your own word and you’re out on the spot. When the timer ends (around 10 minutes works well), everyone still in wins. Down to one player? They win outright.
Playing on paper, the classic setup is writing each word on a sticky note and putting it on the player’s forehead or back — like the headband guessing games. The browser version does the same job without props: in one-phone mode the player closes their eyes while everyone else reads the screen; online, your screen shows everyone’s word except your own.
How many players, how long
| Players | Best for | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2–3 | Head-to-head or a small group, slow-burn | 5–10 min |
| 4–8 | The sweet spot. Parties, breaks, family night | 10–15 min |
| 9–12 | Big groups. Harder to track every word — and louder for it | 15 min+ |
Since talking is the whole game, any number can technically play, but “memorize and police every word” holds together up to about 12 players. Beyond that, split into teams or run two tables.
House rules that prevent arguments
Arguing over “I did not say it!” is half the fun, but agreeing on a few calls up front keeps the game moving. These four are the usual set.
- Containing it counts — if the word is “rice”, “fried rice” is out too. If you want exact matches only, declare it before you start.
- Call it immediately — whoever notices calls it on the spot. No dredging it up minutes later; if you’re caught, take it gracefully.
- Singing and quoting count — humming it or slipping it into an impression is still out. Ruling them safe instead opens up sneaky bait tactics.
- Disputes go to a table vote — when it’s close, majority decides. In the online version, the host makes the ruling.
Variant rules
Settings you can switch on this site
- 3 words per player — deal three forbidden words each, and saying any one of them puts you out. Three times the chances of slipping, so rounds finish much faster. Use it when time is short.
- Shared forbidden words — when a player is out, their word becomes a forbidden word for everyone from then on (up to 9). Each elimination lays another mine, so the endgame gets brutal.
- Category lock — all-food or all-fillers rounds make the mind games denser. Pick a set from the word lists.
House rules to agree on at the table
- Points instead of outs — lose a point instead of being eliminated, highest score at the end wins. Nobody sits out bored.
- Silence vote — vote out anyone trying to win by saying nothing. The standard answer to this game’s built-in weakness: staying silent never loses.
- Word swap — appoint someone to run the round and have them re-deal everyone’s words partway through. It resets the whole mood.
If you want a moderator (GM) running the round, or silence votes and mid-game re-deals built into the game itself, there’s the forbidden word game inside the free app Dokopa (see the app). It has a GM mode where the moderator runs things instead of playing, plus 40+ other party games.
Rules FAQ
- Is this the same as Taboo?
- No — it’s a different game. In Taboo, the clue-giver knows the forbidden words on the card and must avoid them while describing something to teammates. Here, nobody describes anything: you simply have a conversation, and the one word you must avoid is the word you were never shown.
- What if we argue about whether someone said their word?
- Table vote, majority rules — that’s the standard. Agreeing up front that “containing the word counts” and “calls must be immediate” removes most arguments before they start. In the online version the host makes the ruling.
- Can I hint at someone’s word with gestures or by writing it down?
- Secretly telling a player their own word is usually treated as cheating — it ends the game instantly. Using gestures to steer the conversation toward a topic, though, is a legitimate and excellent tactic.
- What do eliminated players do?
- Stay in the conversation. Players who are out have nothing left to lose, so piling on and steering the survivors into their words is the most fun seat in the house.
- Does it work with 2 players?
- Yes. Each of you knows only the other’s word, and the mind games get denser, not thinner. Shorten the timer to around 5 minutes.
- What if nobody says their word before time runs out?
- Everyone still in wins. If draws keep happening, deal 3 words per player or switch to the Filler words (hardest) category — fillers slip out no matter how careful people are.
- How many forbidden words does each player get?
- One or three — you pick in the settings. With three, saying any one of them puts you out. More words means more chances to slip, so choose three when you want a short round.
- What are shared forbidden words?
- It’s a setting where an eliminated player’s word becomes a forbidden word for everyone from then on. Each elimination adds more words the whole table has to avoid, up to 9, so the second half of a round ends fast.
