Forbidden and Illegal

Forbidden

Forbidden adjective - That may not be permitted.
Usage example: trespassing is forbidden

Illegal is a synonym for forbidden in prohibited topic. In some cases you can use "Illegal" instead the word "Forbidden" as an adjective or an adverb, when it comes to topics like unapproved, unauthorised, outlawed.

Illegal

Illegal adjective - Contrary to or forbidden by law.
Usage example: it is illegal to import those birds into this country

Forbidden is a synonym for illegal in unlawful topic. You can use "Forbidden" instead the word "Illegal" as an adjective or an adverb, if it concerns topics such as prohibited, unapproved, unauthorised, outlawed.

Nearby Words: illegality, illegally

Both words in one sentence

  • Creator / Jean-Pierre Melville This was actually illegal and forbidden at the time, and Melville was told that he should either pay a fine or not make the film.
  • Rules Lawyer: An entire race of them: the birds are forbidden from doing anything illegal, interpreted very, very broadly.
  • Do Not Do This Cool Thing So don't go looking for an illegal copy of this tantalizingly interesting forbidden show.
Cite this Source
Illegal and Forbidden. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/forbidden/illegal
Forbidden & Illegal. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/forbidden/illegal>.
Illegal or Forbidden. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/forbidden/illegal.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "forbidden" and "illegal" have occurred on timeline