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Word game

Taboo

Also called Forbidden Words, Don't Say It

Get your team to guess a word without saying it or any of the five obvious clue words printed under it.

people
4–30
time
20 min
energy
Medium
materials
Needs prep
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
What you need2
How to play4

Before you start

Split into two teams sitting on opposite sides. Shuffle the cards face down. Pick one person from the other team as the buzzer for each turn.

  1. 1The clue-giver has one minute to get their team to say as many target words as possible.
  2. 2They may not say the target word, any of the forbidden words, or parts of them, and may not gesture.
  3. 3If they slip, the other team buzzes: the card goes to the other team as a point.
  4. 4Each correct guess is a point. Teams alternate until every player has given clues once.
Cards for this game36

Edit them now. Host mode deals them one at a time, big enough for the room.

36 cards
  • Birthday
  • Umbrella
  • Airport
  • Pizza
  • Elephant
  • Teacher
  • Rainbow
  • Camera
  • Beach
  • Library
  • Grocery
  • Mirror
  • Bicycle
  • Pillow
  • Candle
  • Wedding
  • Doctor
  • Spaghetti
  • Firefighter
  • Passport
  • Treasure
  • Backpack
  • Karaoke
  • Elevator
  • Traffic jam
  • Fireworks
  • Notebook
  • Volcano
  • Pineapple
  • Photographer
  • Meeting
  • Deadline
  • Souvenir
  • Blueprint
  • Telescope
  • Lighthouse
What to say3
  1. 1“One minute, no forbidden words, no hand signals. Buzzer, eyes on the card!”
  2. 2“BZZT! You said it! Card goes to the other side.”
  3. 3“Time's up! How many did you get?”
Host tips3
  • Homemade cards with weak forbidden words make it too easy. For each card, ban the first four words anyone would naturally say.
  • Buzzer arguments (“that's not the same word!”) eat the clock. Rule up front that the host's call is final and pause the timer during disputes.
  • Nervous clue-givers freeze. Allow one free skip per turn so nobody is stuck on a word they do not know.
Variants2

  • Taglish

    Translations of forbidden words also count as forbidden. Saying “bahay” for a card that bans “house” gets buzzed.

  • Office taboo

    Make cards from company jargon, product names and office landmarks, banning the obvious words people use for them.

Good for

Occasions

ChristmasTeam buildingReunionRetreatSchool

Venues

Indoor, smallIndoor, largeOfficeChurch hallOnline
If this one dies early4