Cool MateForbidden vs Outlawed years ago
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Forbidden
FormalTop 3,000 (common)
Outlawed years ago
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: ForbiddenMost common: Forbidden
| Forbidden | Outlawed years ago | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //fəˈbɪd.ən//🇺🇸 //fərˈbɪd.ən// | 🇬🇧 //ˈaʊt.lɔːd jɪrz əˈɡoʊ//🇺🇸 //ˈaʊt.lɔːd jɪrz əˈɡoʊ// |
| Meaning | Not allowed or banned. | Something made illegal a long time ago. |
| Example | The secret room was strictly forbidden to anyone except the owner. | The use of that chemical was outlawed years ago due to health risks. |
| Register | Formal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| Collocations | forbidden zone, forbidden love, forbidden activities, forbidden fruit, forbidden city | outlawed practices, outlawed substances, outlawed activities, outlawed behaviors, outlawed movements |
| 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. | Confusing 'outlawed' with 'outlaw', which is a person., Using 'outlawed years ago' in contexts where immediacy is implied., Not specifying the subject when referencing something that is outlawed. |
| Usage notes | Used to describe something that is legally or socially unacceptable. Avoid using in casual conversations. | Use 'outlawed years ago' to refer to activities or things that were banned long in the past. This phrase is appropriate in both casual and formal conversations when discussing laws or historical contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Forbidden vs Outlawed years ago
What's the difference between Forbidden and Outlawed years ago?
Forbidden: Not allowed or banned. Outlawed years ago: Something made illegal a long time ago.
Which is more formal: Forbidden and Outlawed years ago?
Forbidden is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Forbidden and Outlawed years ago?
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. Outlawed years ago: The use of that chemical was outlawed years ago due to health risks.
Can I use Forbidden and Outlawed years ago interchangeably?
Not always. Forbidden and Outlawed years ago 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.