How to Play Taboo
Classic
One person describes the word. Everyone else guesses in chat. Do not say the taboo words, chunks of the answer, or rhymes.
Example card
Describe this word
SUNFLOWER
⛔ Don't say these words
✕ flower✕ plant✕ yellow
Describing SUNFLOWER
Not allowed: Saying “sun”—it’s hiding inside “sunflower,” even if it’s not on the taboo list.
Allowed: Tall farm crop grown for seeds; huge round head on a long stalk.
Type guesses in chat. A correct guess scores 1–6. You can skip a word for zero points.
Timed turns with taboo words. In two teams, rivals can buzz.
Quick Six
Six words per turn, each worth 1–6 points. No taboo list and no skips—finish all six before time runs out.
Describe each word without saying the actual word — 1–6 pts
Cat
1
Shoe
2
Apple
3
School
4
Elephant
5
Ice cream
6
Play format
- 1 Team 2+ players — Best for small groups: one Explainer, everyone guesses. No buzzer—just agree on mistakes.
- 2 Teams 4+ players — Needs four or more: Red vs Blue. Rivals listen and buzz taboo slips.
Scoring
- +1–6 pts — Correct guess — earn the word's difficulty (1–6 pts)
- -1 point — Buzzed for saying taboo word
- Skip — Explainer skips a word, no points