verboten
Not to be
Verboten is German for forbidden, borrowed into English to describe something strictly prohibited or taboo.
The word often carries a slightly ironic or dramatic tone, emphasizing that something is absolutely off-limits: Discussing salary was verboten in our family.
It suggests rules enforced by authority or strong social convention rather than mere preference.
Officially disallowed
- outlawedForbidden by law
- illicitProhibited by law
- unlawfulForbidden by statute
- contrabandProhibited trade goods
illegal · interdicted · proscribed · unauthorized · unsanctioned · disallowed · barred · off-limits
Too shameful to discuss
- unspeakableBeyond verbal expression
- stigmatizedMarked with social shame
- shamefulCausing or meriting disgrace
- scandalousMorally offensive or shocking
indecent · anathema · sacrilegious · blasphemous · heretical · transgressive · improper · indelicate
Central European language
- loanwordImported vocabulary item
- strictRigorous, without flexibility
- sternStrict or ship's aft
- absoluteTotal, without qualification
categorical · non-negotiable · emphatic · zero tolerance · uncompromising · inflexible · rigid · hardline
Imposing absolute control
- tyrannicalExercising power unjustly
- totalitarianDictatorial, all-controlling regime
- fascistAuthoritarian ultranationalist ideology adherent
- oppressiveUnjustly harsh or stifling
repressive · draconian · iron-fisted · despotic · autocratic · police state · regime · crackdown
banned
Officially disallowed
contraband · illegal · interdicted · proscribed · unauthorized · unsanctioned · disallowed · barred · off-limits · impermissible
unmentionable
Too shameful to discuss
- unspeakableBeyond verbal expression
- stigmatizedMarked with social shame
- shamefulCausing or meriting disgrace
scandalous · indecent · anathema · sacrilegious · blasphemous · heretical · transgressive · improper · indelicate · beyond the pale
German
Central European language
absolute · categorical · non-negotiable · emphatic · zero tolerance · uncompromising · inflexible · rigid · hardline · no exceptions
dictatorial
Imposing absolute control
- tyrannicalExercising power unjustly
- totalitarianDictatorial, all-controlling regime
- fascistAuthoritarian ultranationalist ideology adherent
oppressive · repressive · draconian · iron-fisted · despotic · autocratic · police state · regime · crackdown · decree
- borrowed wordschic, naive, passe, avant-garde, faux
- German Loanwordsangst, blitzkrieg, doppelganger, gesundheit, kaput
- German Wordsdie, in, an, auf, von
- No-Gobanned, off-limits, illegal, outlawed, restricted
- boundariesboundary, boundary line, borders, border, edges
- loanwordsloanword, loan words, borrowings, borrowed words, loan word
verbotenpermitted
Granted leave to proceed
allowed · permissible · acceptable · sanctioned · authorized
verbotenmandatory
Required by rule
required · ordered · compulsory · obligatory · endorsed
verbotenacceptable
Meeting minimum standards
proper · appropriate · suitable · seemly · kosher