When your teammates have guessed the secret word, just click 'next' to generate a new card. You'll see a card with the secret word on top with five taboo words underneath it. has a simplified version of Taboo available for free online. You’ll need to establish your own buzzer for when a taboo word is said. Here are four different ways to play Taboo on Zoom. You get a point for every word your team guesses correctly.

Keep giving clues and having your team guess words until the timer runs out. If you say any of those words during your turn, you get buzzed by a member of the opposing team who can also see the card, and you don’t get a point. For example, if your word was “peanut butter,” some of your taboo words listed might be jelly, sandwich, and Jif. Below that word is a list of related words you aren’t allowed to say in order to give clues to your teammate. When it's your turn to give clues, you draw a card that has a word you want your teammates to guess. You start by dividing your group into two teams.

If you aren’t familiar with the game or you were more of a Catchphrase family, Taboo is a word guessing game. Now, you may ask, “But how do you play Taboo on Zoom? It requires decks of cards and physical timers and a big button that releases a terrible ERRR sound!” And here is where I virtually pat you on the head and say, “Allow me to introduce you to. Rather than try to reinvent the party game wheel, why not harken back to the classic games you know and love like Taboo. As we make our way into yet another month of staying safely inside, finding ways to spice up our Zoom calls has never been more of a necessity.

Virtual card games to play with friends