Taboo

About this board game

Taboo is a party word game for 4–10 players that takes about 20 minutes to play. Players give clues to help their teammates guess a target word, but several obvious clues are forbidden.

On a turn, the active player holds the deck so both their team and the opposing team can see the top card. The target word appears at the top, while five taboo words or phrases are listed below it. The clue-giver may say anything that helps their teammates identify the target—except the target itself or any of those forbidden clues.

For example, getting teammates to say bacon means guiding them toward the answer without saying pig, eggs, breakfast, sausage, or eat. If the team guesses correctly, they score the card and move on to the next one.

• Describe the target word without saying it.
• Avoid the five taboo words or phrases shown on the card.
• Try to get through as many cards as possible before time runs out.

The opposing team listens closely for mistakes. If the clue-giver says a taboo word or uses gestures, the opposing team can buzz the buzzer and score the card themselves. This creates constant pressure as players search for creative ways to communicate familiar ideas.

Released in 1989, Taboo turns everyday words into challenging verbal puzzles. Its simple rules make each round easy to follow, while the forbidden clues make even straightforward answers surprisingly difficult to describe.