forbidden fruit is the sweetest

UK/fəˌbɪdən fɹuːt ɪz ðə ˈswiːtəst/US/fəɹˌbɪdən fɹut ɪz ðə ˈswitəst/

proverb

Forbidden things seem more appealing; people desire things more if (or, in some way, because) they can't have them.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest

  1. Forbidden things seem more appealing; people desire things more if (or, in some way, because) they can't have them.

Origin

A reference to the story in the Bible in which God tells Adam and Eve not to eat the forbidden fruit, but they are tempted by a serpent and do so anyway.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic كُلُّ مَمْنُوعٍ مَرْغُوب
  • كُلُّ مَمْنُوعٍ مَرْغُوب (kullu mamnūʕin marḡūb)forbidden things seem more appealing
Chinese Mandarin 禁果分外甜
  • 禁果分外甜 (jìnguǒ fēnwài tián)forbidden things seem more appealing
Czech zakázané ovoce chutná nejlépe
  • zakázané ovoce chutná nejlépeforbidden things seem more appealing
Danish forbuden frugt smager bedst
  • forbuden frugt smager bedstforbidden things seem more appealing
Finnish kielletty hedelmä houkuttelee, kielletty hedelmä houkuttaa
  • kielletty hedelmä houkutteleeforbidden things seem more appealing
  • kielletty hedelmä houkuttaaforbidden things seem more appealing
French le fruit défendu est celui qui a le meilleur goût
  • le fruit défendu est celui qui a le meilleur goûtforbidden things seem more appealing
German verbotene Früchte schmecken am besten, verbotene Früchte sind süß
  • verbotene Früchte schmecken am bestenforbidden things seem more appealing
  • verbotene Früchte sind süßforbidden things seem more appealing
Hungarian a tiltott gyümölcs mindig édesebb
  • a tiltott gyümölcs mindig édesebbforbidden things seem more appealing
Italian il frutto proibito è il più saporito
  • il frutto proibito è il più saporitoforbidden things seem more appealing
Japanese 禁断の木の実が一番甘い
  • 禁断の木の実が一番甘い (kindan no konomi ga ichiban amai)forbidden things seem more appealing
Polish zakazany owoc smakuje najlepiej, owoc zakazany jest najsłodszy
  • zakazany owoc smakuje najlepiejforbidden things seem more appealing
  • owoc zakazany jest najsłodszyforbidden things seem more appealing
Portuguese tudo que é proibido é mais gostoso
  • tudo que é proibido é mais gostosoforbidden things seem more appealing
Russian запре́тный плод сла́док
  • запре́тный плод сла́док (zaprétnyj plod sládok)forbidden things seem more appealing
Spanish la fruta prohibida es la más dulce
  • la fruta prohibida es la más dulceforbidden things seem more appealing
Swedish förbjuden frukt smakar bäst
  • förbjuden frukt smakar bästforbidden things seem more appealing
Cite this entry
APA

forbidden fruit is the sweetest. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forbidden%20fruit%20is%20the%20sweetest

MLA

“forbidden fruit is the sweetest.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forbidden%20fruit%20is%20the%20sweetest. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “forbidden fruit is the sweetest,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/forbidden%20fruit%20is%20the%20sweetest.

Source: forbidden fruit is the sweetest on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.