variants
or less commonly tabu
1
a
: banned on grounds of morality or taste
the subject is taboo
b
: banned as constituting a risk
the area beyond is taboo, still alive with explosives—
Robert Leckie
Robert Leckie2
: forbidden to profane use or contact because of what are held to be dangerous supernatural powers
variants
or less commonly tabu
plural taboos also tabus
1
a
: a prohibition imposed by social custom or as a protective measure
… they may have developed a taboo against eating fish.—Jared Diamond
Jared Diamond
b
: something that is not acceptable to say, mention, or do : something that is taboo
… the tacticians in a conservative Republican Administration now deem membership in the club a taboo.—Peter J. Boyer
Peter J. Boyer2
: a prohibition against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm from a supernatural force
3
: belief in taboos
variants
or less commonly tabu
tabooed also tabued; tabooing also tabuing; taboos also tabus
1
: to set apart as taboo especially by marking with a ritualistic symbol
2
: to avoid or ban as taboo
Synonyms
Examples of taboo in a Sentence
Adjective
Sex is a taboo subject for many people.
In this company, dating a coworker is considered taboo.
Noun
religious taboos against drinking alcohol
Marrying a close relative is a taboo in many cultures.
Recent Examples on the WebMaggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024
As with the other podcasts Baby Steps traverses some topics that not long ago were considered taboo.
—Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has floated the idea of deploying the army to fight spiraling drug violence, a previously taboo topic that dredges up painful memories.
—Isabel Debre, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2024
Coupled with Japan’s own history of colonization, Adler said, speaking about the grief of Japanese people has almost felt taboo.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
Russ Wiles Money has traditionally been a taboo topic, with most people reluctant to share details of their financial lives.
—The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024
After winning the most votes in the 2023 election, progressive party Move Forward was prevented from forming a government over its radical platform that included reforms to the kingdom’s monarchy, a hugely taboo subject.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024
There were plenty of stars in the building as the NFL brought its biggest game to this gambling mecca — once a taboo idea.
—Rob Maaddi, Twin Cities, 12 Feb. 2024
Lorna is considered as an outcast in her small town, where the Magdalen Laundries are still a taboo subject.
—Maëlle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024
Jessie Yeung, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
TikTok allows Frida to talk about its baby and postpartum products in a way that other advertising and social media platforms may see as taboo, said Chelsea Hirschhorn, the company’s founder.
—Julie Creswell, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The bottom line is that by shedding the societal taboo on women wanting to be rich is pivotal for personal empowerment and societal advancement.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024
Once considered taboo, microdosing has made its way to the semi-mainstream.
—Delaney Nothaft, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024
Things like therapy were long considered taboo, especially by men of color.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Jan. 2024
Chega showed once again that taboos that had kept hard-right parties out of power, foremost the long shadow of a right-wing dictatorship from last century, were falling.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
As CEOs remotely perform cuts, employees are posting about the carnage and pushing past taboo to expose the emotional cost of these moves.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024
The 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre remains one of the most sensitive political taboos in mainland China.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 27 Apr. 2021
Simply repurposing her stylish wardrobe, which is normally taboo in Hollywood.
—Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2020
Create an open dialogue and refuse to let anything be taboo between you two.
—Annie Lane, oregonlive, 23 Mar. 2020
Adjective
Through her involvement with the international organization Teen Star, which runs holistic programs that center on relationships, emotions and fertility awareness, she's worked for more than four decades to shed the taboo nature of discussing the science behind how the female body works.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024
As with the other podcasts Baby Steps traverses some topics that not long ago were considered taboo.
—Cathy Applefeld Olson, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has floated the idea of deploying the army to fight spiraling drug violence, a previously taboo topic that dredges up painful memories.
—Isabel Debre, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2024
Coupled with Japan’s own history of colonization, Adler said, speaking about the grief of Japanese people has almost felt taboo.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
Russ Wiles Money has traditionally been a taboo topic, with most people reluctant to share details of their financial lives.
—The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024
After winning the most votes in the 2023 election, progressive party Move Forward was prevented from forming a government over its radical platform that included reforms to the kingdom’s monarchy, a hugely taboo subject.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024
There were plenty of stars in the building as the NFL brought its biggest game to this gambling mecca — once a taboo idea.
—Rob Maaddi, Twin Cities, 12 Feb. 2024
Lorna is considered as an outcast in her small town, where the Magdalen Laundries are still a taboo subject.
—Maëlle Beauget-Uhl, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2024
Noun
But as the billboard incident showed, the taboo lingers – and though Karina and Lee’s statements made no mention of the controversy, fans were quick to blame the incident for the end of the relationship.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
TikTok allows Frida to talk about its baby and postpartum products in a way that other advertising and social media platforms may see as taboo, said Chelsea Hirschhorn, the company’s founder.
—Julie Creswell, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The bottom line is that by shedding the societal taboo on women wanting to be rich is pivotal for personal empowerment and societal advancement.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2024
Once considered taboo, microdosing has made its way to the semi-mainstream.
—Delaney Nothaft, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2024
Things like therapy were long considered taboo, especially by men of color.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Jan. 2024
Chega showed once again that taboos that had kept hard-right parties out of power, foremost the long shadow of a right-wing dictatorship from last century, were falling.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
As CEOs remotely perform cuts, employees are posting about the carnage and pushing past taboo to expose the emotional cost of these moves.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024
The 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre remains one of the most sensitive political taboos in mainland China.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
Verb
Basically, Pluto rules taboo topics that lie under the surface and that are hard to talk about.
—Elizabeth Gulino, refinery29.com, 27 Apr. 2021
Simply repurposing her stylish wardrobe, which is normally taboo in Hollywood.
—Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2020
Create an open dialogue and refuse to let anything be taboo between you two.
—Annie Lane, oregonlive, 23 Mar. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'taboo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near taboo
Cite this Entry
“Taboo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taboo. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
taboo
2 of 2 noun
variants
also tabu
plural taboos also tabus
1
: a prohibition against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm by a superhuman force
2
: a prohibition established by social custom
Etymology
Adjective
from tabu, a word in a language of the people of a South Sea island, meaning "taboo"
Medical Definition
taboo
1 of 2 noun
ta·boo
variants
also tabu
plural taboos also tabus
1
: a prohibition in some cultures against touching, saying, or doing something for fear of immediate harm from a mysterious superhuman force
2
: a prohibition imposed by social custom or as a protective measure
the view that incest, not cannibalism, was the world's first taboo—Phyllis Grosskurth
Phyllis Grosskurth3
: belief in taboos
taboo
adjective
also tabu
taboo
2 of 2 transitive verb
variants
also tabu
: to avoid or ban as taboo
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