Cool MateForbidden vs Illegal vs It's against the law
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Forbidden
Illegal
It's against the law
| Forbidden | Illegal | It's against the law | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //fəˈbɪd.ən//🇺🇸 //fərˈbɪd.ən// | 🇬🇧 //ɪˈliːɡ(ə)l//🇺🇸 //ɪˈlɪɡəl// | 🇬🇧 //ɪts əˈɡeɪnst ðə lɔː//🇺🇸 //ɪts əˈɡeɪnst ðə lɔ// |
| Meaning | Not allowed or banned. | Not allowed by law. | It is illegal. |
| Example | The secret room was strictly forbidden to anyone except the owner. | Driving without a license is considered illegal. | Driving without a license is really {{highlight}}against the law{{highlight}}. |
| Register | Formal | Formal | Formal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | ||
| Collocations | forbidden zone, forbidden love, forbidden activities, forbidden fruit, forbidden city | illegal activity, illegal immigration, illegal drugs, illegal parking | against the rules, against the regulations, against public policy |
| Antonyms | allowed, permitted, legal | legal, permissible, lawful | it's legal, it's allowed |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'prohibited' - both mean similar things, but 'forbidden' is less formal., Incorrectly used as a verb - 'forbidden' is strictly an adjective., Using 'forbidden' in positive contexts - it always suggests something disallowed. | Confused with 'unlawful', which can have a broader meaning., Using 'illegal' to describe moral wrongs instead of legal ones., Misusing as a noun instead of an adjective, e.g., saying 'the illegal is punishable' instead of 'the act is illegal'. | Confusing with 'it's legal' meaning allowed., Using with informal language., Misusing in non-legal contexts. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe something that is legally or socially unacceptable. Avoid using in casual conversations. | Use 'illegal' in formal contexts, especially legal discussions, but also in general conversation. It's not appropriate for casual slang. | Use this phrase in legal contexts or when discussing rules. It's formal and not suited for casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Forbidden vs Illegal vs It's against the law
What's the difference between Forbidden, Illegal, and It's against the law?
Forbidden: Not allowed or banned. Illegal: Not allowed by law. It's against the law: It is illegal.
Which is more common: Forbidden, Illegal, and It's against the law?
Illegal is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Forbidden: The secret room was strictly forbidden to anyone except the owner. Illegal: Driving without a license is considered illegal. It's against the law: Driving without a license is really {{highlight}}against the law{{highlight}}.
Can I use Forbidden, Illegal, and It's against the law interchangeably?
Not always. Forbidden, Illegal, and It's against the law are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.