Surprise: do not say party, unexpected, shock, jump, gift
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Forbidden Word Game Cards With a Round Timer: how it works
These forbidden word game cards put one target word on screen with five words the describer may not say: get your team to shout Pancake without breakfast, syrup, flip, batter or stack. The deck holds 455 original cards in 14 topics and three levels, with a round timer and team scores, for Taboo-style rounds from one phone. The whole list is printed below.
Run a round from one phone
Split into two teams and choose the first describer. Before anyone looks, tap a topic or leave it on All, and pick Easy, Medium or Hard. The describer holds the phone so that one player from the other team, the watcher, can read the card too. Press Start round. One minute is the default; 90 seconds is kinder to new players. Describe the first word on the card without using any of the five after "do not say". When a teammate shouts the word, tap Next card. When time is up, tap +1 beside your team once for each word guessed, not for skipped cards.
The rules, and the ones to agree first
In the boxed game a turn lasts one minute, each guessed word scores a point, and saying a forbidden word costs a point and the card. The describer may only talk: no gestures, no sound effects, no drawing. Parts and forms of a blocked word count, so "camp" and "camper" are out when the Tent card lists camping. Rhymes and initials are out too. The box has a buzzer; here the watcher says "buzz", taps the table or squeaks a dog toy, and taps −1 for the penalty. Skips are a house rule: free, or one point each.
Read the deck before the party
All 455 cards are printed under the tool in their 14 groups, target word first, so you can read the deck before guests arrive. Hard cards are mostly ideas and sayings, such as Silver lining or Rule of thumb, where the blocked words close every obvious route. Team names, scores and the cards already played stay on this phone. Reset scores clears the board, and after twelve quiet hours the deck is full again.
Tips
Describe a moment, not a definition. "Saturday morning, round, straight off the griddle" beats explaining what a pancake is made of.
When every obvious clue is blocked, leave a gap for the team to fill. For Pet peeve: "People who chew loudly, that is my biggest..."
Seat the watcher beside the describer, not across the table. Both read the same screen and nobody on the guessing team can.
For Halloween cards, tap the Halloween topic: 34 cards from Pumpkin to Superstition. Keep it on Easy while kids in costume play.
With mixed ages, change the level between turns: Easy for a child, Hard for an adult. The scoreboard does not move.
Questions and answers
How many players do you need?
Four, for two teams of two. The boxed game is sold for four to ten players in even numbers, with the teams seated alternately. With an odd number, one player can be the watcher all night. The scoreboard opens with two teams and Add a team makes room for up to four.
Is this the official Taboo game?
No. This is an independent forbidden word generator with its own 455 cards, written for this site. It is not the official game or app and it is not affiliated with the makers. It follows the same idea as the boxed game: a target word, five words you cannot say, a one-minute turn and an opponent who watches the card.
Which cards are the hard ones?
The deck has 161 Easy, 177 Medium and 117 Hard cards. A difficult card is rarely a rare word. It is a familiar one whose five best clues are gone: Patience without wait, virtue, calm, time or line. For a round of hard forbidden words, tap Hard and the Ideas and sayings topic. Easy cards, such as Giraffe or Pillow, suit readers from about seven.
Can I print the cards?
There is no cut-apart print sheet yet. The full list under the tool shows every card, so for printable cards at a table with no phone, copy the ones you like onto index cards: the target word on top, a line, then the five blocked words. Write more than you think you need, because skipped and buzzed cards use up the pile too.
Does a longer word that contains a forbidden word count?
Agree this before the first turn. The boxed rules bar any part or form of a listed word, which covers plurals, "camp" for camping and "baking" for bake. They do not settle a longer word that happens to contain one, such as "carpet" when car is listed. Most groups allow it if the meaning is unrelated. The watcher's call stands.
Survey Game Questions With Answers, Ready to PlayFun survey game questions and answers for any crowd: 145 original boards in 20 games, 40 of them funny, on a board with strikes and two team scores.
Appetizer: do not say starter, before, meal, small, restaurant
Apple: do not say fruit, red, tree, pie, teacher
Banana: do not say yellow, monkey, peel, fruit, split
Birthday cake: do not say candles, frosting, party, wish, blow
Brunch: do not say breakfast, lunch, weekend, late, eggs
Buffet: do not say all you can eat, line, plates, serve yourself, restaurant
Carrot: do not say orange, rabbit, vegetable, root, crunchy
Cereal: do not say breakfast, milk, bowl, box, spoon
Cookie: do not say chocolate chip, bake, milk, jar, dough
Egg: do not say chicken, breakfast, yolk, shell, scrambled
Garnish: do not say parsley, decorate, plate, top, sprig
Honey: do not say bee, sweet, hive, sticky, bear
Hot dog: do not say bun, mustard, sausage, ballpark, ketchup
Ice cream: do not say cone, scoop, cold, vanilla, sundae
Leftovers: do not say fridge, yesterday, reheat, container, dinner
Lemonade: do not say stand, sour, summer, yellow, sugar
Marshmallow: do not say campfire, white, roast, soft, s'mores
Milk: do not say cow, white, drink, dairy, carton
Pancake: do not say breakfast, syrup, flip, batter, stack
Pickle: do not say cucumber, jar, sour, vinegar, green
Picky eater: do not say fussy, vegetables, child, refuse, food
Pizza: do not say cheese, slice, pepperoni, Italy, delivery
Popcorn: do not say movie, kernel, butter, microwave, theater
Recipe: do not say cook, ingredients, instructions, book, steps
Sandwich: do not say bread, lunch, slices, ham, peanut butter
Seasoning: do not say salt, pepper, spice, flavor, sprinkle
Soup: do not say bowl, spoon, hot, broth, can
Spaghetti: do not say pasta, noodles, meatballs, Italian, sauce
Sushi: do not say rice, fish, Japan, raw, roll
Taco: do not say shell, Mexican, Tuesday, salsa, tortilla
Toast: do not say bread, butter, breakfast, brown, jam
Waffle: do not say breakfast, syrup, iron, squares, pancake
Animals 33
Bee: do not say honey, sting, buzz, hive, yellow
Butterfly: do not say wings, caterpillar, cocoon, flutter, insect
Camel: do not say desert, hump, sand, water, ride
Chameleon: do not say color, change, lizard, camouflage, tongue
Cow: do not say milk, moo, farm, beef, grass
Dolphin: do not say ocean, smart, jump, mammal, fin
Elephant: do not say trunk, big, gray, Africa, tusks
Endangered: do not say extinct, species, protect, rare, few
Flamingo: do not say pink, one leg, bird, stand, lawn
Frog: do not say green, jump, pond, tadpole, ribbit
Giraffe: do not say neck, tall, spots, Africa, leaves
Habitat: do not say home, live, environment, natural, where
Hibernate: do not say winter, sleep, bear, cave, months
Horse: do not say ride, saddle, gallop, pony, hay
Kangaroo: do not say Australia, hop, pouch, jump, joey
Migration: do not say birds, south, winter, fly, travel
Monkey: do not say banana, tree, swing, ape, zoo
Nocturnal: do not say night, awake, owl, bat, dark
Octopus: do not say eight, tentacles, ocean, ink, arms
Owl: do not say night, hoot, bird, wise, eyes
Parrot: do not say talk, bird, pirate, colorful, repeat
Peacock: do not say feathers, tail, bird, blue, fan
Penguin: do not say ice, black and white, waddle, Antarctica, bird
Platypus: do not say duck, bill, Australia, mammal, eggs
Porcupine: do not say quills, spikes, sharp, needles, hedgehog
Predator: do not say hunt, prey, eat, carnivore, food chain
Shark: do not say ocean, teeth, fin, fish, bite
Skunk: do not say smell, stripe, black, white, spray
Sloth: do not say slow, tree, hang, lazy, claws
Spider: do not say web, eight, legs, bug, crawl
Squirrel: do not say nuts, tree, tail, acorn, bushy
Turtle: do not say shell, slow, reptile, tortoise, swim
Woodpecker: do not say bird, tree, beak, hole, hammer
Around the house 32
Alarm clock: do not say wake, morning, ring, snooze, time
Attic: do not say top, house, roof, storage, dusty
Bathtub: do not say water, soak, bubbles, shower, wash
Blanket: do not say warm, bed, cover, cozy, quilt
Bunk bed: do not say top, bottom, ladder, sleep, siblings
Chore: do not say job, house, allowance, clean, task
Closet: do not say clothes, hangers, door, bedroom, store
Clutter: do not say mess, stuff, tidy, pile, organize
Couch: do not say sofa, sit, living room, cushions, TV
Dishwasher: do not say plates, clean, kitchen, machine, load
Doorbell: do not say ring, front, button, visitor, ding dong
Fire extinguisher: do not say red, flames, spray, put out, emergency
Garage: do not say car, park, door, tools, house
Hand-me-down: do not say clothes, older, sibling, used, wear
Housewarming: do not say party, new, move, gift, neighbors
Junk drawer: do not say kitchen, random, stuff, batteries, messy
Key: do not say lock, door, open, car, chain
Lamp: do not say light, bulb, shade, table, switch
Laundry: do not say clothes, wash, dryer, basket, fold
Microwave: do not say heat, oven, popcorn, kitchen, minutes
Mirror: do not say reflection, look, glass, bathroom, face
Mortgage: do not say house, bank, loan, pay, monthly
Pillow: do not say bed, head, sleep, soft, fight
Refrigerator: do not say cold, kitchen, food, freezer, door
Remote control: do not say TV, channel, buttons, couch, change
Renovation: do not say remodel, house, fix, kitchen, contractor
Spring cleaning: do not say tidy, season, dust, annual, scrub
Stairs: do not say up, down, steps, climb, floor
Thermostat: do not say temperature, heat, air conditioning, wall, degrees
Toothbrush: do not say mouth, paste, bristles, dentist, clean
Vacuum: do not say clean, carpet, suck, dust, floor
Welcome mat: do not say door, feet, wipe, front, porch
Places 32
Airport: do not say planes, fly, luggage, gate, security
Amusement park: do not say rides, roller coaster, tickets, fun, cotton candy
Aquarium: do not say fish, tank, water, sharks, glass
Bakery: do not say bread, cakes, oven, pastries, fresh
Beach: do not say sand, ocean, waves, swim, towel
Border: do not say country, line, cross, between, passport
Campground: do not say tent, fire, woods, sleeping bag, outdoors
Car wash: do not say soap, clean, vehicle, drive through, brushes
Castle: do not say king, queen, moat, knight, tower
Dead end: do not say street, road, no exit, turn around, sign
Desert: do not say sand, hot, dry, cactus, camel
Farm: do not say barn, animals, tractor, crops, cow
Food court: do not say mall, eat, restaurants, tables, trays
Grocery store: do not say food, cart, shop, aisle, checkout
Hometown: do not say grew up, born, where, from, city
Hospital: do not say doctor, nurse, sick, emergency, patients
Island: do not say water, surrounded, tropical, palm, deserted
Landmark: do not say famous, monument, tourist, statue, recognize
Library: do not say books, quiet, borrow, read, card
Lighthouse: do not say ships, beam, coast, tower, ocean
Movie theater: do not say film, popcorn, screen, tickets, seats
Museum: do not say art, exhibits, history, dinosaur, paintings
Playground: do not say swings, slide, kids, park, recess
Pyramid: do not say Egypt, triangle, pharaoh, tomb, desert
Rain forest: do not say jungle, tropical, Amazon, trees, wet
Shortcut: do not say faster, way, route, quick, path
Suburb: do not say city, outside, houses, neighborhood, commute
Swimming pool: do not say water, dive, lifeguard, chlorine, summer
Treehouse: do not say backyard, climb, ladder, kids, branches
Volcano: do not say lava, erupt, mountain, hot, ash
Waiting room: do not say doctor, magazines, chairs, appointment, name
Zoo: do not say animals, cages, visit, lions, keeper
Jobs and people 32
Apprentice: do not say learn, trade, master, trainee, job
Architect: do not say buildings, design, blueprints, draw, plans
Astronaut: do not say space, rocket, moon, NASA, suit
Babysitter: do not say kids, watch, parents, evening, teenager
Bus driver: do not say school, wheel, route, stop, yellow
Cashier: do not say register, store, money, checkout, scan
Chef: do not say cook, kitchen, restaurant, hat, food
Clown: do not say circus, red nose, funny, makeup, balloons
Crossing guard: do not say school, street, stop sign, children, vest
Dentist: do not say teeth, drill, cavity, mouth, chair
Detective: do not say clues, mystery, solve, crime, magnifying glass
Electrician: do not say wires, power, lights, outlet, shock
Farmer: do not say tractor, crops, barn, animals, field
Firefighter: do not say truck, hose, flames, red, rescue
Librarian: do not say books, quiet, shh, check out, shelves
Lifeguard: do not say pool, beach, whistle, swim, rescue
Lumberjack: do not say trees, axe, chop, flannel, wood
Magician: do not say tricks, rabbit, hat, wand, cards
Mail carrier: do not say letters, deliver, post office, packages, truck
Neighbor: do not say next door, live, street, fence, borrow
Pen pal: do not say letters, write, far away, friend, mail
Photographer: do not say camera, pictures, smile, wedding, lens
Pilot: do not say plane, fly, cockpit, captain, airline
Plumber: do not say pipes, leak, toilet, sink, wrench
Referee: do not say whistle, game, stripes, foul, rules
Substitute: do not say teacher, replace, absent, fill in, temporary
Teacher: do not say school, class, students, homework, learn
Tour guide: do not say group, show, city, follow, sights
Twin: do not say sibling, identical, same, born, two
Understudy: do not say actor, theater, backup, replace, lead
Veterinarian: do not say animals, pets, doctor, sick, dog
Volunteer: do not say free, help, unpaid, charity, time
Sports and games 32
Baseball: do not say bat, pitcher, home run, diamond, innings
Basketball: do not say hoop, dribble, court, shoot, tall
Benchwarmer: do not say sit, substitute, play, team, sidelines
Bowling: do not say pins, strike, lane, ball, alley
Checkers: do not say board, red, black, jump, king
Chess: do not say king, queen, checkmate, board, pawn
Crossword: do not say puzzle, clues, across, down, newspaper
Dodgeball: do not say throw, hit, gym, duck, out
Goalie: do not say net, save, block, soccer, hockey
Gymnastics: do not say flip, balance beam, tumble, vault, leotard
Halftime: do not say break, middle, game, show, band
Hide and seek: do not say count, find, ready or not, it, look
Home field advantage: do not say crowd, fans, stadium, away, team
Hopscotch: do not say chalk, squares, jump, sidewalk, numbers
Jump rope: do not say skip, double Dutch, swing, hop, handles
Karate: do not say martial art, belt, kick, chop, Japan
Marathon: do not say run, race, 26, miles, long
Mascot: do not say costume, team, school, animal, cheer
Overtime: do not say extra, tie, game, period, end
Piñata: do not say candy, stick, party, hit, blindfold
Rematch: do not say again, play, second, loser, game
Scavenger hunt: do not say list, find, items, clues, search
Skateboard: do not say wheels, ramp, tricks, ride, deck
Soccer: do not say ball, goal, kick, feet, World Cup
Sportsmanship: do not say fair, handshake, good, loser, respect
Surfing: do not say waves, board, ocean, beach, ride
Swimming: do not say pool, water, stroke, laps, goggles
Tag: do not say it, chase, run, touch, playground
Tiebreaker: do not say even, score, extra, decide, winner
Trampoline: do not say bounce, jump, backyard, springs, flip
Tug of war: do not say rope, pull, teams, mud, strength
Underdog: do not say expected, lose, weaker, favorite, win
Nature and weather 32
Acorn: do not say oak, squirrel, nut, tree, cap
Avalanche: do not say snow, mountain, slide, bury, ski
Cactus: do not say desert, spines, prickly, plant, dry
Cloud: do not say sky, white, rain, fluffy, float
Compost: do not say garden, scraps, soil, rot, pile
Dandelion: do not say weed, yellow, blow, wish, seeds
Drought: do not say dry, rain, water, shortage, crops
Earthquake: do not say shake, ground, fault, tremor, Richter
Eclipse: do not say sun, moon, shadow, block, glasses
Erosion: do not say wear away, soil, water, rock, wind
Flower: do not say petals, garden, bloom, smell, bouquet
Fog: do not say mist, see, thick, cloud, gray
Horizon: do not say sky, line, meet, distance, sunset
Humidity: do not say air, moisture, sticky, muggy, hot
Icicle: do not say frozen, hang, winter, drip, roof
Moon: do not say night, sky, full, astronaut, cheese
Mountain: do not say climb, high, peak, snow, hike
Puddle: do not say rain, jump, water, splash, boots
Rainbow: do not say colors, sky, arc, pot of gold, storm
River: do not say water, flow, stream, bank, fish
Seashell: do not say beach, ocean, collect, listen, sand
Season: do not say spring, summer, fall, winter, year
Shooting star: do not say wish, meteor, night, sky, streak
Snowman: do not say carrot, winter, build, coal, scarf
Sun: do not say hot, shine, sky, star, day
Sunset: do not say evening, sky, orange, horizon, down
Thunder: do not say lightning, storm, loud, boom, rain
Tide: do not say ocean, high, low, moon, beach
Tornado: do not say twister, spin, funnel, storm, Kansas
Tree: do not say leaves, trunk, branches, wood, climb
Waterfall: do not say river, cliff, drop, Niagara, cascade
Wind: do not say blow, air, breeze, kite, gust
School and science 32
Alphabet: do not say letters, ABC, 26, song, A to Z
Backpack: do not say bag, school, books, carry, shoulders
Crayon: do not say color, wax, box, draw, kids
Dictionary: do not say words, definitions, look up, book, meaning
Dinosaur: do not say extinct, T. rex, fossil, big, lizard
Evaporation: do not say water, steam, dry, puddle, heat
Field trip: do not say bus, class, museum, permission slip, visit
Fraction: do not say half, numerator, denominator, part, math
Globe: do not say world, map, spin, round, Earth
Glue: do not say stick, paste, paper, sticky, bottle
Gravity: do not say fall, Newton, apple, down, force
Homework: do not say school, assignment, teacher, after, dog ate
Hypothesis: do not say guess, science, experiment, test, educated
Locker: do not say hallway, combination, school, books, metal
Lunchbox: do not say food, school, sandwich, carry, pack
Magnet: do not say attract, metal, fridge, stick, poles
Microscope: do not say small, see, lens, science, slide
Multiplication: do not say times, math, tables, product, numbers
Pencil: do not say write, eraser, lead, sharpen, yellow
Plagiarism: do not say copy, cheat, steal, words, someone else
Planet: do not say Earth, Mars, orbit, solar system, space
Pop quiz: do not say test, surprise, teacher, questions, grade
Procrastinate: do not say later, delay, put off, last minute, tomorrow
Recess: do not say playground, break, outside, school, play
Report card: do not say grades, school, parents, teacher, A
Rough draft: do not say first, essay, write, revise, final
Ruler: do not say measure, inches, straight, line, centimeters
Science fair: do not say project, volcano, judges, experiment, poster
Scissors: do not say cut, paper, blades, sharp, rock
Skeleton: do not say bones, body, skull, inside, ribs
Spelling bee: do not say letters, word, contest, correct, stage
Syllable: do not say word, clap, beat, part, sound
Travel and transport 32
Airplane: do not say fly, wings, pilot, sky, airport
Backseat driver: do not say car, passenger, directions, annoying, tell
Bicycle: do not say pedals, two wheels, ride, helmet, chain
Boat: do not say water, sail, float, captain, row
Carpool: do not say share, ride, school, lane, kids
Carry-on: do not say bag, plane, overhead, small, luggage
Cruise ship: do not say ocean, vacation, cabin, deck, buffet
Detour: do not say road, closed, around, route, sign
Flat tire: do not say car, air, spare, puncture, change
Helicopter: do not say blades, fly, hover, chopper, propeller
Hot-air balloon: do not say basket, float, fire, sky, colorful
Hotel: do not say room, stay, night, bed, lobby
Itinerary: do not say plan, schedule, trip, travel, list
Jet lag: do not say tired, time zone, flight, sleep, travel
Layover: do not say airport, flight, wait, connecting, between
Map: do not say directions, fold, roads, treasure, find
Passport: do not say travel, country, photo, stamp, border
Postcard: do not say mail, picture, stamp, vacation, wish you were here
Road trip: do not say car, drive, highway, long, vacation
Roundabout: do not say circle, traffic, intersection, yield, drive
Rush hour: do not say traffic, work, busy, commute, jam
School bus: do not say yellow, kids, driver, stop, ride
Seat belt: do not say buckle, car, safety, click, strap
Souvenir: do not say gift shop, remember, trip, buy, keepsake
Staycation: do not say home, time off, travel, local, trip
Subway: do not say underground, train, city, station, sandwich
Suitcase: do not say pack, luggage, clothes, travel, wheels
Taxi: do not say cab, yellow, ride, driver, fare
Tent: do not say camping, sleep, poles, outdoors, zipper
Tollbooth: do not say pay, highway, coins, gate, road
Traffic light: do not say red, green, yellow, stop, intersection
Train: do not say tracks, railroad, conductor, engine, choo choo
Technology and media 32
Algorithm: do not say steps, computer, code, instructions, math
Autocorrect: do not say spelling, phone, typo, fix, text
Battery: do not say power, charge, AA, dead, energy
Buffering: do not say video, loading, wait, circle, slow
Calculator: do not say math, numbers, add, buttons, solar
Camera: do not say picture, photo, lens, flash, smile
Cartoon: do not say animated, Saturday, drawn, kids, show
Charger: do not say phone, plug, cable, battery, outlet
Cliffhanger: do not say ending, suspense, next, episode, continued
Emoji: do not say smiley, face, text, yellow, symbol
Flashlight: do not say dark, batteries, beam, shine, camping
Going viral: do not say internet, video, share, popular, millions
Headphones: do not say ears, music, listen, wear, sound
Keyboard: do not say type, keys, computer, letters, piano
Newspaper: do not say read, headlines, daily, print, deliver
Password: do not say secret, login, account, type, forget
Pixel: do not say screen, dot, image, tiny, resolution
Podcast: do not say listen, episode, audio, show, host
Printer: do not say paper, ink, copy, jam, computer
Radio: do not say music, station, listen, car, tune
Robot: do not say machine, metal, beep, artificial, program
Satellite: do not say orbit, space, dish, signal, Earth
Screenshot: do not say capture, phone, picture, display, save
Selfie: do not say photo, phone, yourself, arm, stick
Sequel: do not say second, movie, part two, follow, original
Spam: do not say email, junk, unwanted, folder, canned
Spoiler: do not say ending, movie, ruin, tell, plot
Telephone: do not say call, ring, number, talk, dial
Television: do not say watch, screen, channel, shows, remote
Text message: do not say phone, send, type, SMS, thumbs
Video game: do not say play, controller, console, screen, level
Wi-Fi: do not say internet, wireless, connect, router, signal
Actions 32
Apologize: do not say sorry, wrong, forgive, mistake, say
Binge-watch: do not say episodes, show, series, streaming, couch
Clap: do not say hands, applause, together, audience, noise
Compromise: do not say agree, middle, both, give, meet
Dance: do not say music, move, feet, ballet, party
Daydream: do not say imagine, stare, class, mind, wander
Delegate: do not say task, assign, someone else, boss, give
Doodle: do not say draw, scribble, margin, bored, pen
Eavesdrop: do not say listen, secret, conversation, overhear, door
Exaggerate: do not say bigger, overstate, truth, stretch, make up
Gargle: do not say mouthwash, throat, water, bubble, spit
Haggle: do not say price, bargain, market, lower, negotiate
Hesitate: do not say pause, wait, unsure, before, doubt
Hiccup: do not say breath, water, scare, sound, hold
High five: do not say hand, slap, up, celebrate, palm
Hug: do not say arms, squeeze, love, embrace, bear
Improvise: do not say make up, spot, plan, script, jazz
Interrupt: do not say talk, cut off, middle, rude, speaking
Juggle: do not say balls, clown, throw, catch, three
Multitask: do not say many, things, once, same time, juggle
Parallel park: do not say car, curb, reverse, driving test, space
Shrug: do not say shoulders, don't know, lift, whatever, up
Sleepwalk: do not say night, bed, dream, unaware, wander
Sneeze: do not say achoo, nose, bless you, tissue, cold
Snore: do not say sleep, loud, nose, night, noise
Stretch: do not say reach, muscles, yoga, exercise, flexible
Tickle: do not say laugh, fingers, feather, giggle, feet
Tiptoe: do not say quiet, sneak, feet, walk, ballet
Whisper: do not say quiet, secret, ear, soft, talk
Whistle: do not say lips, blow, tune, referee, sound
Wink: do not say eye, one, close, blink, signal
Yawn: do not say tired, mouth, sleepy, open, contagious
Ideas and sayings 33
Beginner's luck: do not say first, time, win, new, try
Birthday: do not say cake, candles, party, age, presents
Bucket list: do not say lifetime, things, goals, someday, dreams
Cabin fever: do not say inside, stuck, winter, bored, restless
Coincidence: do not say chance, same, time, accident, happen
Comfort zone: do not say safe, outside, step, familiar, easy
Common sense: do not say obvious, know, logic, smart, everyone
Courage: do not say brave, fear, lion, hero, bold
Deadline: do not say due, date, late, finish, time
Déjà vu: do not say before, feeling, happened, already, French
Dream: do not say sleep, night, nightmare, imagine, wish
Generation gap: do not say parents, age, kids, understand, difference
Growing pains: do not say legs, kids, taller, ache, change
Gut feeling: do not say instinct, stomach, intuition, know, hunch
Inside joke: do not say friends, understand, funny, only, laugh
Irony: do not say opposite, expect, sarcasm, funny, situation
Jealousy: do not say envy, green, want, feeling, other
Luck: do not say four-leaf clover, fortune, chance, horseshoe, good
Nickname: do not say short, call, friends, real, pet
Nostalgia: do not say past, memories, childhood, miss, old
Patience: do not say wait, virtue, calm, time, line
Peer pressure: do not say friends, everyone, do, fit in, influence
Pet peeve: do not say annoy, bother, hate, small, habit
Rule of thumb: do not say guide, general, rough, finger, estimate
Rumor: do not say gossip, spread, true, heard, story
Second wind: do not say energy, tired, again, burst, running
Secret: do not say tell, keep, whisper, hidden, nobody
Silver lining: do not say cloud, good, bad, bright side, positive
Stage fright: do not say nervous, audience, perform, scared, speech
Surprise: do not say party, unexpected, shock, jump, gift
Tradition: do not say family, every year, custom, pass down, holiday
White lie: do not say small, truth, harmless, polite, fib
Writer's block: do not say stuck, ideas, author, blank, page
Halloween 34
Bat: do not say wings, cave, night, vampire, upside down
Black cat: do not say bad luck, witch, cross, path, meow
Bobbing for apples: do not say water, bucket, teeth, bite, fruit
Broomstick: do not say witch, fly, ride, sweep, handle
Candy corn: do not say orange, yellow, white, triangle, sweet
Candy: do not say sweet, trick-or-treat, chocolate, sugar, wrapper
Cauldron: do not say witch, pot, brew, bubble, stir
Cobweb: do not say spider, dusty, corner, old, sticky
Corn maze: do not say lost, stalks, fall, farm, paths
Costume: do not say dress up, wear, mask, outfit, pretend
Disguise: do not say hide, identity, costume, mask, recognize
Eerie: do not say creepy, spooky, strange, feeling, quiet
Full moon: do not say night, werewolf, round, howl, sky
Ghost: do not say boo, sheet, white, haunt, spirit
Goosebumps: do not say skin, chills, scared, cold, arms
Graveyard: do not say tombstones, cemetery, buried, spooky, night
Haunted house: do not say ghosts, scary, spooky, walk through, scream
Hayride: do not say wagon, tractor, farm, fall, straw
Jack-o'-lantern: do not say pumpkin, carve, candle, face, glow
Masquerade: do not say mask, ball, disguise, party, fancy
Monster: do not say scary, bed, under, creature, closet
Mummy: do not say bandages, Egypt, wrapped, tomb, toilet paper
Nightmare: do not say bad, dream, sleep, scary, wake
Phobia: do not say fear, afraid, spiders, heights, irrational
Potion: do not say drink, magic, witch, bottle, brew
Pumpkin: do not say orange, carve, jack-o'-lantern, pie, patch
Scarecrow: do not say straw, field, birds, farmer, stuffed
Spiderweb: do not say corner, silk, sticky, fly, spin
Superstition: do not say bad luck, belief, ladder, mirror, thirteen
Trick-or-treat: do not say candy, door, knock, costume, bag
Vampire: do not say blood, fangs, bite, cape, garlic
Werewolf: do not say full moon, howl, hairy, transform, bite
Witch: do not say broom, hat, spell, cauldron, green
Zombie: do not say undead, brains, walk, groan, slow
Holidays and parties 35
Anniversary: do not say year, married, celebrate, date, couple
April Fools' Day: do not say prank, joke, first, trick, spring
Balloon: do not say air, pop, helium, party, float
Bonfire: do not say flames, wood, big, outdoor, marshmallows
Confetti: do not say paper, throw, celebrate, colorful, tiny
Daylight saving time: do not say clock, hour, spring forward, fall back, change
Easter egg: do not say hunt, bunny, dye, basket, hide
Encore: do not say again, concert, more, clap, song
Family reunion: do not say relatives, cousins, gather, picnic, together
Fireworks: do not say Fourth of July, sky, explode, colors, boom
Four-leaf clover: do not say luck, green, Irish, rare, shamrock
Gingerbread house: do not say candy, cookie, frosting, build, Christmas
Graduation: do not say cap, gown, diploma, school, ceremony
Groundhog Day: do not say shadow, February, winter, spring, Punxsutawney
Heirloom: do not say family, pass down, antique, grandmother, generations
Hospitality: do not say guests, welcome, host, kind, hotel
Leap year: do not say February, 29, four, extra, calendar
Long weekend: do not say Monday, three, days, holiday, off
Menorah: do not say Hanukkah, candles, eight, nights, light
New Year's Eve: do not say midnight, countdown, December, ball drop, resolution
Parade: do not say float, march, band, street, watch
Picnic: do not say basket, blanket, park, ants, outdoors
Potluck: do not say dish, bring, share, everyone, food
Present: do not say gift, wrap, birthday, open, bow
Regift: do not say present, again, give, unwanted, someone else
Resolution: do not say New Year, promise, goal, January, gym
RSVP: do not say reply, invitation, respond, party, French
Santa Claus: do not say red, North Pole, reindeer, chimney, beard
Sleepover: do not say friends, night, pajamas, sleeping bag, stay up
Snow day: do not say school, closed, winter, cancel, home
Snowball fight: do not say winter, throw, cold, fort, duck
Stocking: do not say fireplace, Christmas, hang, sock, stuffers
Turkey: do not say Thanksgiving, bird, gobble, stuffing, dinner
Valentine: do not say heart, February, card, love, Cupid
Wedding: do not say bride, groom, marry, ring, cake
How this list was compiled: Written for this site by the editors on 2026-09-18; no card, word list or wording was copied from a boxed game or from another site. Each card is a target word followed by the five clue words the editors judged a describer would reach for first, so the five are our judgment, not a fixed fact. Every card was read against the site's family-safe rule (nothing sexual, no alcohol or drugs, nothing that mocks a person or a group, no real people). Difficulty is an editor's judgment: easy is a concrete thing a seven-year-old can describe, medium is a less common thing or a two-word phrase, hard is an abstract idea, a saying or a word whose obvious clues are all blocked. The turn rules described on the page (one describer, a player from the other team watching the card, a one-minute turn, a point for each guess and a point lost for each forbidden word, no gestures, sounds, rhymes or parts of a word) follow Wikipedia's article on the boxed game, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taboo_(game), checked 2026-09-18. The target word is also stored in x.word and the five forbidden words in x.no for a stacked card layout. Licence: own work