Midjourney changed the face of digital art by turning text-based prompts into breathtaking images with artificial intelligence. But it is not always accepted. Certain expressions and terms are not allowed or are restricted.
These terms that are banned on Midjourney are automatically removed through the application to block the production of violent, NSFW, illegal, or politically delicate content. If the prompt you are given includes any of these words, you might get the following message:
"Your prompt violates community guidelines."This article lists the most common categories of banned phrases in Midjourney. It also explains the reasons behind their existence and demonstrates how to create safe, imaginative prompts that are in line with the rules of the community.
What’s Midjourney?
Midjourney is an advanced AI image generation platform that converts text prompts into precise, beautiful images. It is widely used by marketers, designers, and artists to create high-quality conceptual images and artistic imagery with artificial intelligence.
Why Does Midjourney Ban Certain Words?
The aim of the list of banned words on Midjourney is to ensure that content is secure, ethical, and internationally accepted. Midjourney is operated with strict guidelines for moderation, which ban prompts that can lead to:
- Gore or violence
- Adult or sexual content
- References to drugs
- Discrimination or hate speech
- Body parts that are explicit or nudity
- Themes that are taboo or political
- Unsettling, offensive, illegal, or obscene images
As a result, Midjourney maintains compliance with international law, Discord’s community standards, and ethics-based AI standards, which protect developers and users from moral or legal backlash.
Complete List of Midjourney Banned Words (Updated 2025)
Based on public reports and user testing, Midjourney filters banned words into various content categories. Below is a categorized list (analyzed from your data) illustrating some examples of restricted or sensitive terms.
1. Gore Words
A gore-themed image comprises deformed bodies, blood, dismemberment, cannibalism, and violent acts. These terms are prohibited to prevent the creation of horrifying images.
Examples of gore-related banned words:
1. Blood
2. Bloodbath
3. Crucifixion
4. Bloody
5. Flesh
6. Bruises
7. Car crash
8. Corpse
9. Crucified
10. Cut
11. Decapitate
12. Infested
13. Gruesome
14. Kill (as in “Kill la Kill”)
15. Infected
16. Sadist
17. Slaughter
18. Teratoma
19. Trypophobia
20. Wound
21. Cronenberg
22. Khorne
23. Cannibal
24. Cannibalism
25. Visceral
26. Guts
27. Bloodshot
28. Gory
29. Killing
30. Massacre
31. Surgery
32. Vivisection
33. Hemoglobin
34. Suicide
35. Female Body Parts
Tips: For creative projects, use atmosphere to describe the scene instead of violence, e.g., “dark fantasy scene” instead of “bloody battle.”
2. Adult Words
Midjourney will not tolerate sexually explicit, adult, or explicit words to ensure a professional tone. Any suggestion that suggests nudity or explicit behavior, or sexual content will be removed.
Examples of adult-related banned words:
1. Ahegao
2. Pinup
3. Ballgag
4. Playboy
5. Bimbo
6. Pleasure
7. Bodily fluids
8. Boudoir
9. Rule34
10. Brothel
11. Seducing
12. Dominatrix
13. Erotic
14. Sensual
15. Hardcore
16. Sexy
17. Hentai
18. Shag
19. Horny
20. Shibari
21. Incest
22. Smut
23. JAV
24. Succubus
25. Thot
26. Kinbaku
27. Transparent
28. Submissive
29. Dominant
30. Indecent
31. Flashy
32. Legs spread
33. Twerk
34. Making love
35. Naughty
36. Wincest
37. Orgy
38. Bondage
39. Sultry
40. XXX
41. BDSM
42. Dog collar
43. Slavegirl
TIP: Replace sexual adjectives with neutral language, like “elegant,” “dramatic lighting,” or “fashion editorial style.”
3. Body Parts Words
Midjourney’s moderation filters can also block specific or offensive anatomical phrases to block NSFW or images with fetishized meanings.
Examples of body-related terms:
1. Arse
2. Labia
3. Ass
4. Mammaries
5. Human centipede
6. Badonkers
7. Minge
8. Massive chests
9. Big Ass
10. Mommy Milker
11. Booba
12. Nipple
13. Booty
14. Oppai
15. Bosom
16. Melons
17. Bulging
18. Coochie
19. Head (in vulgar sense)
20. Engorged
21. Organs
22. Breasts
23. Ovaries
24. Busty
25. Penis
26. Clunge
27. Phallus
28. Crotch
29. Sexy female
30. Dick (as in Moby-Dick)
31. Skimpy
32. Girth
33. Thick
34. Honkers
35. Vagina
36. Hooters
37. Veiny
38. Knob
39. Seductress
40. Shaft
Tips: When depicting humans, look at design, lighting, or composition instead of the physical body.
4. Clothing Words
Even the clothing-related prompts could be blocked if they hint at nakedness or sexual contact.
Examples of prohibited clothing-related terms:
1. No clothing
2. Speedo
3. Au naturale
4. Nude
5. Bare chest
6. Undressed
7. Bra
8. Risqué
9. Clear
10. Cleavage
11. Straight
12. Stripped
13. Full naked
14. Frontal
15. Invisibly dressed
16. Wearing nothing
17. Lingerie without a shirt
18. Naked with no clothes on
19. Negligee
20. Zero clothes
Tips: Use phrases like “minimalist outfit,” “light summer wear,” or “fashion portrait” to come up with creative ideas.
5. Taboo Words
This includes sensitive or offensive words in relation to race, politics, religion, and hate speech. Midjourney blocks these by default.
Examples of taboo-related banned words:
1. Taboo
2. Fascist
3. Nazi
4. Prophet Mohammed
5. Slave
6. Coon
7. Honkey
8. Arrested
9. Jail
10. Handcuffs
Tips: Avoid using any religious or political figures as prompts. Instead, focus on the topic as well as the aesthetic (e.g., “ancient cultural art style” instead of a specific religious persona).
6. Drug Words
The use of drug-related terms is prohibited to avoid the portrayal of addiction or illegal activities.
Examples of prohibited drug-related words:
1. Drugs:
2. Cocaine
3. Heroin
4. Meth
5. Crack
Tips: Replace such words with metaphorical or abstract alternatives such as “psychedelic,” “vivid neon glow,” or “dreamlike colors.”
7. Other Illegal or Inappropriate Words
This category of miscellaneous words covers offensive or disturbing phrases that aren’t appropriate for other categories, but are still in violation of the rules.
Examples of prohibited miscellaneous words:
1. Torture
2. Disturbing
3. Fart
4. Poop
5. Warts
6. Xi Jinping
7. Shit
8. Pleasure
9. Erect
10. Big Black
11. Brown pudding
12. Bunghole
13. Vomit
14. Voluptuous
15. Sperm
16. Seductive
17. Hot
18. Sexy
19. Plebeian
20. Sensored
21. Censored
22. Uncouth
23. Silenced
24. Deepfake
25. Inappropriate
26. Pus
27. Waifu
28. MP5
29. Succubus
30. 1488
31. Surgery
Tips: Keep your language neutral, and stay clear of references that may be taken to mean politically or offensive.
How Midjourney Filters Banned Words
Midjourney uses automated algorithmic moderation that scans each user’s prompt for restricted words or other contextual infringements.
If a banned word is detected, the system prevents image generation and displays an error warning.
The filter doesn’t only find exact words; it also looks for synonyms, alternate spellings, and the intent of the context. For instance, changing “nude” to “no clothing” will trigger the filter.
How to Avoid Triggering Midjourney’s Filter
- The focus should be on the theme, not the anatomy.
- The emotion, the design, or the location —not just physical exposure.
- Use artistic terms as synonyms.
- Try using words such as “aesthetic,” “graceful,” “stylized,” and “cinematic lighting.”
- Do not use abbreviations or slang.
- Even slang that sounds innocent could be flagged as adult-oriented content.
- Rephrase violent prompts.
- Change “bloody battlefield” with “post-apocalyptic wasteland.”
- Be creative and ethical.
- Midjourney’s rules allow users to be creative within the boundaries of their own safety.
Midjourney vs Other AI Tools
Even though Midjourney has a strict moderation policy, the other tools are different:
- Stable Diffusion (open source) allows NSFW models to be configured externally.
- DALL-E3, as well as Adobe Firefly, enforce similar restrictions on safety and brand conformity.
Midjourney’s consistent ban policy ensures its product remains safe for consumers, family-friendly, and suitable for commercial projects.
Final Thoughts
Midjourneys’ banned words list could be a bit restrictive initially. It’s actually designed to protect creativity and maintain the highest ethical standards for AI art. Knowing what’s blocked and why can help you create more efficient, more straightforward prompts that reflect the platform’s artist’s mission.
By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to focus on what really matters, turning your thoughts into secure, inspirational, and boundary-pushing art, without crossing ethical boundaries.
FAQs About Midjourney Banned Words
1. What is the reason why Midjourney stops specific prompts?
To avoid explicit violent, threatening, or illegal images and to maintain a secure community space.
2. Can I get around the list of banned words?
No. If you attempt this, it violates community rules and could result in account limitations.
3. Do some words get blocked in innocent contexts?
Yes. Words like “surgery” or “crucifixion” are not allowed, regardless of context, because the system can’t discern intent.
4. Does the list of banned items change over time?
Yes. Midjourney frequently updates its filtering lists to adapt to new prompting styles or inappropriate misuse of prompts.
5. What can I do when my request is incorrectly blocked?
Rephrase the text in simpler terms, simplify it imaginatively, or focus on the mood rather than specific objects.