off-limits
Not for you
Off-limits describes places or topics that are forbidden or restricted.
A military base may be off-limits to civilians.
Certain subjects are off-limits at family dinners: Politics and religion are off-limits at Thanksgiving.
The hyphen is standard when used before a noun: an off-limits area.
Cultural or social prohibition
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- bannedOfficially disallowed
- illegalForbidden by statute
- illicitProhibited by law
unlawful · verboten · outlawed · contraband · interdicted · proscribed · criminalized · unauthorized
Permitted passage or approval
- accessRight to enter
- authorized personnelPeople granted official access
- checkpointInspection station on route
- securityProtection from threat
controlled · regulated · cordoned · quarantine · boundary · zone · perimeter · classified
Restricted to certain parties
- reservedRestrained in manner
- members-onlyRestricted to enrolled participants
- VIPNotable, for short
- eliteSuperior select group
privileged · selective · closed · personal · dedicated · proprietary · bespoke · inalienable
taboo
Cultural or social prohibition
- prohibitedOfficially not permitted
- bannedOfficially disallowed
- illegalForbidden by statute
illicit · unlawful · verboten · outlawed · contraband · interdicted · proscribed · criminalized · unauthorized · unsanctioned
clearance
Permitted passage or approval
- accessRight to enter
- authorized personnelPeople granted official access
- checkpointInspection station on route
security · controlled · regulated · cordoned · quarantine · boundary · zone · perimeter · classified · confidential
private
Restricted to certain parties
- reservedRestrained in manner
- members-onlyRestricted to enrolled participants
- VIPNotable, for short
elite · privileged · selective · closed · personal · dedicated · proprietary · bespoke · inalienable · nontransferable
- Forbiddenforbidden, prohibited, banned, not allowed, taboo subject
- inaccessibleinaccessible, unreachable, out of reach, unobtainable, unattainable
- No-Gobanned, forbidden, illegal, outlawed, prohibited
- exclusionexclude, excluded, rule out, banned, bans
- Exclusivityexclusive, elite, VIP, members-only, private
- keeping outbar, ban, block, lock, fence
off-limitspermitted
Granted leave to proceed
allowed · unrestricted · authorized · permissible · open
off-limitsunrestricted
Having no limitations
free access · public · unregulated · no holds barred · wide open
off-limitsaccessible
Able to be reached
open · available · public · free access · welcoming
limit, limited, limits, unlimited, offbeat, limitation, offset, limiting, preliminary