Taboo game
Taboo is a word guessing game for two teams: you describe a word so your team can guess it, but you may not say the word itself or any of the five forbidden words on the card. Your team scores a point for every word it guesses before the timer runs out, and the other team buzzes you the moment you slip.
Loading the Taboo cards.
Hold the phone so the clue giver and the buzzer from the other team can both see it, and keep it hidden from the guessers. All 200 cards are listed below.
The card below lets you play the Taboo game online, free, with 200 of our own cards in eight categories. Press Start, describe, and let the player from the other team tap Correct, Skip or Buzz. The score and every word are shown when the 60 seconds are up.
- Cards
- 200, 5 forbidden words each
- Players
- 4 or more, in 2 teams
- Round
- 60 seconds
How to play Taboo
The rules below are the classic ones from the boxed game. Read them out once before the first round and the game runs itself.
- Make two teamsSplit into two teams of at least two players and sit so the teams alternate around the table. Agree on how many rounds you play, for example until everyone has been clue giver twice.
- Pick a clue giver and a buzzerTeam A's clue giver holds the phone. One player from Team B sits next to them as the buzzer and watches the screen. Nobody else in Team B guesses.
- Describe against the clockPress Start. The clue giver describes the top word to their own team, using any words except the word itself and the five forbidden words. No gestures, no sounds, no spelling and no "rhymes with".
- Correct, skip or buzzWhen the team says the exact word, tap Correct. The clue giver may tap Skip to move on. If they say a forbidden word, or part of one, the buzzer taps Buzz and the card is lost.
- Switch teamsAfter 60 seconds the round ends. Team B now picks a clue giver, Team A provides the buzzer, and so on. Add up the points after the last round.
Scoring
| What happens | Classic rules | Common house rule |
|---|---|---|
| Your team guesses the word | +1 point to your team | +1 point to your team |
| The clue giver says a forbidden word (buzz) | +1 point to the other team | +1 point to the other team |
| The clue giver skips a card | +1 point to the other team | No points, the card is just gone |
| Time runs out mid card | No points | No points |
| The clue giver gestures or spells | Treated as a buzz | A warning first, then a buzz |
200 Taboo cards in 8 categories
Each card shows the word to describe, followed by the five words you may not say. Everyday things and Food and drink are the gentlest start. Pop culture is fast if your group watches the same things, and Nights out and dating is the adults only round.
Everyday things
25- Umbrella: rain, wet, open, weather, handle
- Toothbrush: teeth, paste, mouth, clean, morning
- Mirror: reflection, glass, look, face, wall
- Pillow: bed, sleep, head, soft, case
- Wallet: money, cards, pocket, cash, leather
- Alarm clock: wake, morning, ring, time, snooze
- Keys: lock, door, open, car, ring
- Sofa: sit, couch, living room, cushion, comfortable
- Laptop: computer, screen, keyboard, work, Apple
- Candle: wax, light, flame, wick, birthday
- Fridge: cold, kitchen, food, freezer, milk
- Sunglasses: eyes, shades, dark, summer, wear
- Headphones: music, ears, listen, sound, wireless
- Charger: phone, battery, cable, plug, power
- Ladder: climb, steps, up, high, rungs
- Calendar: date, month, days, year, wall
- Shower: water, wash, bathroom, hot, morning
- Backpack: bag, carry, straps, hiking, shoulders
- Scissors: cut, paper, sharp, blades, hair
- Remote control: TV, buttons, channel, sofa, batteries
- Toilet paper: roll, bathroom, wipe, soft, loo
- Doorbell: ring, button, visitor, front, ding dong
- Passport: travel, photo, airport, country, border
- Hairdryer: blow, hot, heat, wet, salon
- Light switch: lamp, on, off, wall, flick
Food and drink
25- Pizza: cheese, Italy, slice, oven, pepperoni
- Sushi: rice, fish, Japan, raw, roll
- Coffee: morning, cup, caffeine, bean, espresso
- Chocolate: sweet, cocoa, bar, brown, milk
- Champagne: bubbles, France, celebrate, bottle, wine
- Burger: bun, beef, McDonald's, fries, patty
- Popcorn: cinema, butter, movie, kernels, salty
- Avocado: green, toast, guacamole, stone, Mexico
- Pancake: flat, breakfast, syrup, flip, batter
- Ice cream: cold, cone, scoop, vanilla, summer
- Banana: yellow, fruit, peel, monkey, bunch
- Spaghetti: pasta, Italy, bolognese, long, noodles
- Garlic: vampire, breath, clove, smell, bread
- Taco: Mexico, shell, beef, Tuesday, salsa
- Lemon: yellow, sour, citrus, juice, squeeze
- Cheese: milk, mouse, cheddar, yellow, cow
- Tea: cup, kettle, bag, British, milk
- Smoothie: fruit, blend, drink, healthy, straw
- Bacon: pig, breakfast, crispy, eggs, pork
- Kebab: meat, night, doner, skewer, takeaway
- Croissant: French, pastry, butter, breakfast, crescent
- Cocktail: drink, bar, mix, umbrella, glass
- Birthday cake: candles, party, blow, slice, wish
- Hot dog: sausage, bun, mustard, ketchup, frankfurter
- Watermelon: red, seeds, green, summer, fruit
Places and travel
25- Airport: plane, fly, gate, check in, flight
- Beach: sand, sea, sun, swim, towel
- Paris: France, Eiffel Tower, capital, love, croissant
- Hospital: doctor, nurse, sick, ambulance, patient
- Library: books, read, quiet, borrow, librarian
- Hotel: room, stay, night, reception, bed
- New York: city, Big Apple, America, Manhattan, Statue of Liberty
- Gym: exercise, weights, workout, fit, treadmill
- Camping: tent, outdoors, fire, sleeping bag, nature
- Cinema: film, movie, popcorn, screen, seats
- Supermarket: shop, food, trolley, groceries, checkout
- Desert: sand, hot, dry, camel, Sahara
- Las Vegas: casino, gamble, Nevada, Strip, wedding
- Venice: Italy, canals, gondola, water, boat
- Hostel: backpacker, cheap, dorm, bunk, travel
- Road trip: car, drive, friends, music, map
- Cruise: ship, sea, holiday, deck, cabin
- Zoo: animals, cages, lion, visit, keeper
- IKEA: furniture, Sweden, meatballs, flat pack, store
- Festival: music, tent, mud, stage, bands
- Ski resort: snow, mountain, slopes, lift, winter
- Prison: jail, cell, bars, criminal, guard
- Museum: art, history, exhibit, old, paintings
- Rome: Italy, Colosseum, capital, Vatican, pasta
- Iceland: cold, Nordic, Reykjavik, volcano, island
Jobs
25- Doctor: hospital, sick, nurse, medicine, patient
- Judge: court, gavel, verdict, lawyer, guilty
- Firefighter: flames, truck, hose, rescue, burning
- Pilot: plane, fly, airport, cockpit, captain
- Chef: cook, kitchen, food, restaurant, hat
- Dentist: teeth, drill, mouth, filling, check up
- Lawyer: court, judge, legal, case, client
- Plumber: pipes, water, toilet, leak, fix
- Hairdresser: cut, scissors, salon, style, fringe
- Bartender: drinks, cocktail, pour, tips, pub
- Astronaut: space, rocket, moon, NASA, suit
- Police officer: crime, arrest, uniform, car, cop
- Farmer: barn, cows, tractor, crops, field
- Photographer: camera, picture, lens, wedding, shoot
- DJ: music, party, decks, club, mix
- Lifeguard: beach, pool, swim, save, drowning
- Influencer: Instagram, followers, social media, post, sponsored
- Postman: letters, mail, deliver, stamps, van
- Vet: animals, pets, doctor, sick, dog
- Magician: show, trick, rabbit, hat, wand
- Taxi driver: car, ride, fare, passenger, Uber
- Architect: buildings, design, plans, draw, house
- Personal trainer: gym, fitness, workout, exercise, coach
- Wedding planner: bride, marriage, organise, flowers, venue
- Barista: coffee, café, latte, milk, cup
Animals and nature
25- Penguin: bird, ice, black, white, waddle
- Elephant: trunk, big, grey, ears, Africa
- Kangaroo: Australia, jump, pouch, hop, baby
- Giraffe: neck, tall, spots, Africa, long
- Shark: sea, teeth, fish, Jaws, fin
- Spider: legs, web, eight, insect, scary
- Owl: bird, night, hoot, wise, eyes
- Snake: slither, poison, reptile, hiss, long
- Bee: honey, sting, buzz, yellow, hive
- Rainbow: colours, sky, arch, pot of gold, sun
- Volcano: lava, eruption, mountain, hot, ash
- Tornado: wind, storm, spin, twister, destroy
- Snowman: carrot, winter, cold, build, scarf
- Cactus: desert, spikes, plant, prickly, water
- Butterfly: wings, caterpillar, insect, colourful, flutter
- Dolphin: sea, smart, swim, mammal, fin
- Sloth: slow, lazy, tree, hang, sleep
- Moon: night, sky, space, full, stars
- Thunder: lightning, storm, loud, rain, sky
- Lion: king, mane, roar, jungle, cat
- Octopus: tentacles, eight, sea, ink, arms
- Waterfall: river, Niagara, cliff, drop, splash
- Flamingo: pink, bird, leg, stand, lake
- Mosquito: bite, itch, insect, blood, summer
- Northern lights: aurora, sky, Norway, green, night
Sport and hobbies
25- Football: kick, goal, pitch, team, Messi
- Tennis: racket, ball, court, Wimbledon, net
- Yoga: stretch, mat, pose, relax, meditation
- Golf: club, hole, ball, swing, course
- Skiing: snow, mountain, poles, slope, winter
- Chess: king, queen, board, checkmate, pieces
- Karaoke: sing, microphone, song, bar, lyrics
- Marathon: run, race, long, finish, kilometres
- Swimming: pool, water, stroke, goggles, lanes
- Surfing: waves, board, sea, beach, wetsuit
- Boxing: punch, gloves, ring, fight, knockout
- Gardening: plants, flowers, grow, soil, weeds
- Knitting: wool, needles, scarf, grandma, yarn
- Cycling: bike, wheels, pedal, helmet, Tour de France
- Bowling: ball, pins, strike, lane, alley
- Darts: board, throw, pub, bullseye, 180
- Fishing: rod, lake, hook, catch, bait
- Basketball: hoop, NBA, dunk, tall, court
- Poker: cards, bet, chips, casino, bluff
- Video games: controller, PlayStation, play, console, gamer
- Olympics: medal, gold, rings, athletes, torch
- Climbing: wall, rope, rock, up, harness
- Dancing: music, moves, floor, party, ballet
- Baking: oven, cake, flour, bread, cook
- Sudoku: numbers, puzzle, grid, nine, newspaper
Pop culture
25- Harry Potter: wizard, Hogwarts, magic, glasses, wand
- Titanic: ship, iceberg, sink, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rose
- Star Wars: Jedi, Darth Vader, Luke, force, lightsaber
- Friends: Ross, Rachel, sitcom, Central Perk, Joey
- Taylor Swift: singer, pop, Eras, concert, Shake It Off
- The Simpsons: Homer, Bart, yellow, cartoon, Springfield
- Batman: Gotham, Robin, Joker, cape, Bruce Wayne
- Netflix: streaming, series, watch, chill, binge
- Barbie: doll, pink, Ken, Margot Robbie, Mattel
- James Bond: 007, spy, martini, MI6, Daniel Craig
- The Beatles: Liverpool, band, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Abbey Road
- Elvis Presley: king, rock, Graceland, hips, Las Vegas
- Shrek: ogre, green, donkey, swamp, Fiona
- Game of Thrones: dragons, Westeros, Jon Snow, winter, HBO
- Mona Lisa: painting, Leonardo, smile, Louvre, Paris
- Spider-Man: Peter Parker, web, Marvel, superhero, New York
- Beyoncé: singer, Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Queen B, Single Ladies
- Frozen: Elsa, Anna, Let It Go, snow, Disney
- Mr Bean: Rowan Atkinson, funny, Teddy, silent, British
- Michael Jackson: moonwalk, Thriller, King of Pop, Billie Jean, glove
- Instagram: photos, app, followers, stories, likes
- Super Mario: Nintendo, plumber, Luigi, mushroom, princess
- The Lion King: Simba, Disney, Mufasa, Hakuna Matata, Africa
- Eurovision: song, contest, Europe, vote, points
- Squid Game: Korea, Netflix, money, survive, tracksuit
Nights out and dating (adults)
25For groups of adults who are up for it. Mild and flirty, nothing more.
- First date: dinner, nervous, romantic, meet, Tinder
- Hangover: headache, drunk, morning, water, regret
- Tinder: swipe, app, dating, match, right
- Kiss: lips, love, mouth, romantic, peck
- Ex: former, boyfriend, girlfriend, break up, past
- Wedding: bride, groom, marry, ring, church
- Crush: like, secret, love, fancy, butterflies
- Taxi home: cab, late, Uber, ride, driver
- Bouncer: door, club, ID, security, big
- Dance floor: club, music, moves, DJ, party
- Shot: glass, tequila, small, drink, lime
- Pub quiz: questions, team, answers, trivia, prize
- Ghosting: ignore, disappear, text, reply, dating
- Pre-drinks: before, home, cheap, party, getting ready
- Walk of shame: morning, home, last night, clothes, heels
- Speed dating: minutes, bell, table, quick, singles
- Valentine's Day: February, love, roses, hearts, card
- Blind date: setup, stranger, meet, friend, surprise
- Toast: speech, glass, cheers, raise, wedding
- Last orders: bell, bar, closing, pub, drink
- Selfie: photo, phone, camera, pose, Instagram
- Afterparty: late, house, continue, morning, sunrise
- Flirting: wink, chat, compliment, smile, attraction
- Group chat: WhatsApp, messages, friends, notifications, mute
- Honeymoon: wedding, holiday, couple, married, trip
The buzzer: the most important job at the table
In Taboo, the other team is not just waiting. One of them watches every word the clue giver says, and that makes the game twice as tense.
- Sit next to the clue giver. The buzzer must see the same screen. On this page, tap Buzz the moment a forbidden word is said.
- Buzz fast and loud. A buzz ends the card. Say which word was said, so nobody argues later.
- Watch the hands too. Pointing at a glass for Champagne or miming a steering wheel for Taxi driver is a buzz in the classic rules.
- Rotate. Take turns being the buzzer, so everyone on the waiting team stays in the game.
House rules and variants
The classic rules come first above. These variants are optional, so pick the ones your group likes and say them out loud before the first round.
- Free skips. Skipping costs nothing. The game gets faster and friendlier for first time players.
- Three skips per round. A middle ground: three free skips, every skip after that gives the other team a point.
- Steal. When time runs out mid card, the other team gets one guess to steal the point.
- One word only. The clue giver may only say one word at a time, then wait for a guess. Brutal with Pop culture.
- Silent Taboo. No talking at all, only drawing in the air. A good bridge to Pictionary or Charades.
- Drinking variant. Every buzz is a sip for the clue giver. Water counts, and anyone can play without drinking.
Describing without giving it away is a skill. Use it
In Dronk's Imposter, everyone gets a secret word except one player. Each person gives a single clue: too obvious and the imposter catches on, too vague and you look like the imposter yourself. 3 to 20 players on one phone.
Get Dronk free on iPhone
How to make your own Taboo cards
Homemade cards about your friends, your city or your office are the best Taboo cards there are. Making them is quick if you follow three steps.
- Pick a word people knowEveryone at the table must be able to guess it. A colleague's name works at the office party, not at a family dinner.
- Write the five words you would say firstImagine describing it in five seconds. The first five words you would use are the forbidden ones. That is what makes a card hard.
- Test one cardTry describing it without the five words. If it is impossible, swap the hardest forbidden word for an easier one.
Questions people ask
How do you play Taboo?
Split into two teams. A clue giver describes the word on the card to their own team without saying the word or the five forbidden words, while a player from the other team watches and buzzes any slip. Each word guessed in 60 seconds is a point, then the other team plays.
Can you play Taboo online for free?
Yes. This page has 200 free Taboo cards with five forbidden words each, plus a timer with Correct, Skip and Buzz buttons. All you need is one phone and two teams in the same room.
How many players do you need for Taboo?
Four players, two per team, is the minimum. Six to ten players is ideal. With an odd number, one team simply has an extra player.
What can't you say in Taboo?
The word itself, any of the five forbidden words, and parts or forms of them, so no "fire" for Firefighter. You also can't gesture, spell, use initials or say "sounds like" or "rhymes with".
What happens if you skip a card in Taboo?
In the classic rules, the other team gets a point for every skipped card. Many groups play with free skips or three free skips per round instead. Decide before you start.
How long is a round of Taboo?
The classic round is one minute, the same as the timer on this page. After each round, the other team takes over.
Keep the night going
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