Cool MateForbidden vs Without authorization
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Forbidden
FormalTop 3,000 (common)
Without authorization
FormalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Forbidden
| Forbidden | Without authorization | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //fəˈbɪd.ən//🇺🇸 //fərˈbɪd.ən// | 🇬🇧 //wɪθˈaʊt ɔːθəraɪˈzeɪʃən//🇺🇸 //wɪθˈaʊt ɔˈθɪrəˌzeɪʃən// |
| Meaning | Not allowed or banned. | Not having permission to do something. |
| Example | The secret room was strictly forbidden to anyone except the owner. | The employee accessed the files without authorization. |
| Register | Formal | Formal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| Collocations | forbidden zone, forbidden love, forbidden activities, forbidden fruit, forbidden city | access without authorization, act without authorization, enter without authorization |
| Antonyms | allowed, permitted, legal | - |
| 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 'unauthorized' which is a single word., Incorrectly using 'with authorization' when intending to say 'without authorization'. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe something that is legally or socially unacceptable. Avoid using in casual conversations. | Use 'without authorization' in formal contexts like legal or official communications. Avoid in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Forbidden vs Without authorization
What's the difference between Forbidden and Without authorization?
Forbidden: Not allowed or banned. Without authorization: Not having permission to do something.
Which is more common: Forbidden and Without authorization?
Forbidden 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. Without authorization: The employee accessed the files without authorization.
Can I use Forbidden and Without authorization interchangeably?
Not always. Forbidden and Without authorization 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.