variants
also tabu
as in forbidden
that may not be permitted
asking a guest how much money he or she makes is strictly taboo because it's a rude question to ask a stranger
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also tabu
1
as in prohibition
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in anathema
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of taboo
Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 26 Jan. 2026
Swinging is having a bit of a moment on TV, thanks to shows like Couple to Throuple and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives delving into the formerly taboo subject.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026
Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The film, adapted from a 2017 Los Angeles Times story about Hang by Frank Shyong, stars Lucy Liu as Irene, who is trying to keep her son Joe’s (Lawrence Shou) schizophrenia diagnosis secret from the other parents in her Asian American community because of a taboo around mental health issues.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taboo
Adjective
For those seeking more intense, morally gray relationships with taboo themes and trigger warnings, dark romance has become the go-to subgenre.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 26 Jan. 2026
Swinging is having a bit of a moment on TV, thanks to shows like Couple to Throuple and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives delving into the formerly taboo subject.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
And talking about aging and dating and what's happening to our bodies is no longer taboo.
—Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The film, adapted from a 2017 Los Angeles Times story about Hang by Frank Shyong, stars Lucy Liu as Irene, who is trying to keep her son Joe’s (Lawrence Shou) schizophrenia diagnosis secret from the other parents in her Asian American community because of a taboo around mental health issues.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taboo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taboo
Adjective
-
Women, whether secular or religious, remain forbidden to read, write or tell stories.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
One of Japan’s most beloved television personalities — and a perennial favorite-host winner — Matsuko brings her sharp insight and commanding presence to a forbidden auction staged in a mysterious underground space.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In 2014, the New York Times published a six-part series arguing for a repeal on the federal marijuana ban, comparing the government’s treatment of cannabis to the prohibition on alcohol in the 1920s.—
Elaine Mallon,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The repeal could include a prohibition on returning to that bloc system.—
Jennifer Lynn McCoy,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For months, perhaps years, the idea of trading the franchise icon was anathema in Wisconsin.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
This index is the first to go in a tough tape created by a pernicious bond market; higher rates are a small-cap anathema.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There is, however, room for questions about where the line between prohibited and acceptable political involvement will fall in practice.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
-
The list of prohibited and restricted items, as found on the CBP website, includes alcohol, biological materials, firearms, food and produce such as fruits and vegetables, soil, wildlife, fish, and gold, among other items.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
That’s been a no-no inside the Dolphins.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Another handwashing no-no is touching the phone, then grabbing clean tongs without washing hands.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Orthodox Jews viewed the pop-up novelty with its mixed troupes as an abomination, but young female actors and singers embraced the emancipatory promise of the stage.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
This second half of Godzilla’s nearly 70-year history is a towering showcase of how versatile Godzilla is; a character who can be a hero, villain, or even eldritch abomination — to mixed results.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That changed with the embargoes and boycotts of the First World War—exactly the time that Eastern European Jews were getting their American foothold.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The goal of the conference was to mitigate price hikes and supply shortages, a particular pain point as the embargo had been imposed by a small club of oil-producing nations in the Middle East and North Africa.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
According to Jackson, that is a perversion of the law.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Attacking an ally would be a perversion of everything the armed forces have been trained to do.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taboo. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
