Charades Generator for Adults and Couples (Plus Pictionary)

This is a free charades generator for adults, with Pictionary, built for two players. Pick a game (Charades, Pictionary or Heads up), then tap Start. Topics sit right above the Start button; timer and match length are in the settings row. One of you acts, draws or guesses, the other plays along, and the tool runs the timer and keeps a score for each of you. It has more than 800 words for adults and couples, a drawing pad, and room for your own inside jokes. No sign-up, no ads, no draw limit.

How do you play charades as a couple?

Charades is usually a team game. With two people, the actor and the guesser work together against the clock, then swap. The person who gets through more words in their rounds wins.

1. Add your names. Tap Player 1 or Player 2 at the top. The tool tells you whose turn it is.
2. Pick a topic from the row above Start: Couple life, Party (adults), Date night, Movies and TV, Famous people, Animals, Around the house, Jobs and actions, and for Pictionary Easy to draw and Funny to draw (adults). Hard mode shows up in Heads up only, because abstract ideas are easier to explain than to act. In the settings row you set the timer and the match length (3 rounds each by default).
3. Start the round. Only the actor looks at the screen. Act out the word without talking.
4. Tap Got it or Skip. Every word guessed is a point for the actor. A soft beep counts down the last five seconds.
5. Swap. The round summary shows the words you got and who leads. Hand the phone over. After 3 rounds each, the game names the winner.

Pictionary for two, on one phone

Choose Pictionary. The guesser looks away while the drawer holds the striped bar to see the word, lets go and draws right on the screen. Each new word starts hidden on a clean pad, so the guesser never sees it. There are four inks, a thick brush, an eraser, Undo and Clear. The Funny to draw (adults) topic has 80 ideas like beer goggles, a situationship or the elephant in the room. Prefer paper? Just ignore the pad and use the words and the timer. The Easy to draw topic has close to 70 things that work for any drawing skill, from a lighthouse to a rubber duck.

Heads up on your phone

Choose Heads up and start. The guesser holds the phone to their forehead with the screen facing out, ideally sideways, after a 3, 2, 1 countdown. The other person gives clues without saying the word. The guesser nods the phone down for Got it or tilts it up to Pass, or the clue giver taps either half of the screen. The word fills the screen so it can be read from across the room. Movies and TV work best here.

Charades ideas for couples

The Couple life topic is written about the little scenes every couple knows. A few examples:

• Fighting over the thermostat
• Picking a movie for 40 minutes
• Parallel parking while your partner watches
• Long distance goodbye at the gate
• Pretending to like a gift

Hosting friends? The Party (adults) topic is made for a group game night: switch Players to Two teams in the settings. The best words are still your own. Open Your own words and add inside jokes, trips and people you both know. They become the Our words topic, and Send to your partner shares them so they can add theirs.

Charades on a video call

Charades is one of the best games for a video call because you can see each other. The actor opens this page on their own phone, so the guesser never sees the word, and acts in front of the camera. For Pictionary on a call, draw on paper and hold it up. For more ideas, see our games to play on FaceTime and couple games with no equipment.

Game night ideas at home

• Mix the games. Play one round of each: charades, Pictionary, Heads up. Highest total wins.
• Play for something. The loser makes dessert or picks the next movie. More in our date night games.
• Turn it into a date. Pair it with something from our date night ideas at home.
• Want something calmer after? Try truth or dare for couples. Or play the who's most likely to game.

What are the limits?

• The drawing pad is for the same room. It does not send drawings to another phone.
• Names, scores, your own words and your best round are saved in this browser only.
• Tilt to answer needs motion access: an iPhone asks once when you start, and if you say no, the taps still work. When the phone stays upright, the Heads up screen turns itself sideways.
• The game keeps the screen awake during a round where the browser allows it.

All 817 charades and Pictionary words

Playing without a phone? Here is every word in the game, by topic. Write them on slips of paper and pull them from a bowl.

Couple life (80)

Assembling flat pack furniture together, Losing the TV remote, Fighting over the thermostat, Stealing the blanket at night, Picking a movie for 40 minutes, First dance at a wedding, Meeting the parents and trying too hard, Proposing on one knee, Carrying your partner over the threshold, Waking up with morning breath, Parallel parking while your partner watches, Couples yoga, Getting caught snoring, Sharing one umbrella, Taking a couple selfie, Slow dancing in the kitchen, Video call with a bad connection, Burning dinner on date night, Carrying a couch up the stairs together, Sitting on a suitcase to close it, Doing the dishes together, Holding hands at the movies, Hogging the bathroom, Watching a horror movie behind a pillow, Long distance goodbye at the gate, Arguing about directions, Feeding each other cake, Painting a room together, Brushing teeth side by side, Planning a surprise party, Hiding a gift behind your back, Opening an anniversary present, Following a recipe badly, Building a pillow fort, Getting locked out of the house, Grocery shopping with no list, Taking out the trash in pajamas, Looking for your keys, Pretending to like a gift, Morning jog that turns into a walk, Falling asleep during the movie you picked, Spa night with face masks, Sharing headphones on a train, Toasting at a dinner party, Getting a couples massage, Writing a love letter, Untangling holiday lights together, Losing each other in a supermarket, Fighting over the last slice of pizza, Carrying your partner piggyback, Teaching your partner to drive, Giving each other a haircut, Doing a trust fall, Arguing over how to load the dishwasher, Spooning on the couch, Kissing under the mistletoe, Opening a wedding gift you hate, Practicing your wedding dance, Waking your partner up with a song, Winking at each other across a room, Tickle fight, Walking a dog that pulls too hard, Falling off a paddle board, Couples pottery class, Holding the door open dramatically, Paddling a canoe in circles, Stepping on toes at a dance lesson, Rubbing your partner's sore feet, Unpacking boxes in a new home, Zipping up your partner's dress, Dancing with your in-laws at a wedding, Carving a pumpkin together, Caught in a downpour, Building a sandcastle together, Feeding ducks in the park, Drying off a wet dog, Rescuing a spider for your partner, Sneaking a kiss in the kitchen, Hanging a shelf that ends up crooked, Walking home in heels at 2 am.

Movies and TV (143)

Titanic, The Lion King, Jurassic Park, Frozen, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Finding Nemo, Jaws, The Notebook, Mean Girls, Friends, The Office, Stranger Things, Grease, Home Alone, Shrek, Toy Story, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Wizard of Oz, Spider-Man, Batman, Mamma Mia, Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, Rocky, The Matrix, Forrest Gump, Pretty Woman, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Up, Inside Out, Barbie, Twilight, The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones, The Simpsons, Squid Game, Wednesday, Bridgerton, The Crown, Breaking Bad, Cinderella, E.T., Indiana Jones, Ratatouille, Moana, Despicable Me, La La Land, The Godfather, Mrs. Doubtfire, Love Actually, When Harry Met Sally, Notting Hill, Ted Lasso, Avatar, Gladiator, The Princess Bride, Sleepless in Seattle, Crazy Rich Asians, 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, Legally Blonde, Bridesmaids, The Proposal, Pride and Prejudice, The Devil Wears Prada, Black Panther, Encanto, Coco, Zootopia, Lilo and Stitch, Aladdin, Mulan, Tangled, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc., WALL-E, Cars, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, Minions, Jumanji, Men in Black, Independence Day, Armageddon, The Terminator, Alien, Psycho, The Shining, Scream, Get Out, The Sixth Sense, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inception, Interstellar, Oppenheimer, Dune, The Lord of the Rings, Fast and Furious, Mission Impossible, James Bond, Karate Kid, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Footloose, The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Chicago, Hamilton, Wicked, The Greatest Showman, A Star Is Born, Bohemian Rhapsody, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Seinfeld, Modern Family, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation, The Bachelor, Love Island, SpongeBob SquarePants, Bluey, Sesame Street, Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry, The Mandalorian, Succession, The White Lotus, Yellowstone, Emily in Paris, The Last of Us, Only Murders in the Building, Shark Tank, The Voice, American Idol, Ice Age, Tarzan.

Around the house (47)

Ironing a shirt, Unclogging a sink, Making the bed, Vacuuming under the couch, Changing a light bulb, Watering the plants, Cracking an egg, Flipping pancakes, Opening a stuck jar, Searching for the phone charger, Hanging a picture frame, Mowing the lawn, Washing the car, Folding laundry, Chopping onions, Doing a jigsaw puzzle, Stepping on a toy, Wrapping a present, Taking a bubble bath, Answering the door in a towel, Setting the table, Putting on tights, Tying a tie, Brushing a cat, Cleaning the windows, Waking up late, Hitting snooze, Making a smoothie, Waiting at the door for the delivery driver, Fixing a wobbly table, Lighting a candle, Making coffee before you are awake, Painting your nails, Shaving, Putting in contact lenses, Trying to sleep with a mosquito in the room, Hiding from a spider, Washing your hair, Doing push ups, Stretching after a nap, Reading in bed, Talking on speakerphone, Rearranging furniture, Baking a cake, Sewing a button, Feeding a baby, Walking on a hot floor.

Jobs and actions (49)

Lion tamer, Dentist, Barista, Air traffic controller, Magician, Firefighter, Astronaut, Surgeon, Pilot, Chef in a busy kitchen, Wedding photographer, Lifeguard, Mime trapped in a box, Orchestra conductor, Personal trainer, Hairdresser, Tour guide, Weather presenter, DJ, Ballet dancer, Sumo wrestler, Tennis player, Golfer, Surfer, Skier going down a mountain, Boxer, Bowling a strike, Fishing and catching a boot, Rowing a boat, Riding a horse, Juggling, Riding a roller coaster, Skydiving, Walking a tightrope, Climbing a ladder, Directing traffic, Pizza delivery, Detective looking for clues, Spy sneaking past lasers, Superhero landing, Robot dancing, Zombie walking, Pirate with a wooden leg, Knight in armor, Cowboy at a showdown, Ninja, Archer, Stand up comedian, Opera singer.

Date night (65)

Ice skating for the first time, Candlelit dinner, Picnic in the park, Speed dating, Mini golf, Escape room, Drive in movie, Cooking class, Wine tasting, Stargazing, Dancing in the rain, Paint and sip night, Roller skating, Concert in the front row, Theme park, Sunset on the beach, Board game night, Cocktail making, Trying sushi with chopsticks, Going to the zoo, Riding a tandem bike, Haunted house, Comedy show, Watching fireworks, Breakfast in bed, Ferris wheel, Ballroom dancing, Camping under the stars, Farmers market, Arcade games, Bonfire with marshmallows, Museum date, Long walk with no phones, Fancy restaurant with a tiny portion, Blind date, Double date, Second date nerves, First kiss at the door, Ordering in a foreign language, Puppy cafe, Rooftop bar, Axe throwing, Ice cream on a hot day, Archery class, Trampoline park, Hiking to a waterfall, Silent disco, Wine and cheese picnic, Salsa class, Go karting, Painting each other's portraits, Rock climbing gym, Fondue night, Drive through safari, Making fresh pasta, Movie marathon in a blanket fort, Laser tag, Food truck crawl, Watching the sunrise from the car, Late night diner pancakes, Trivia night at a bar, Hot springs, Zip lining, Night at the opera, Jazz club.

Easy to draw (68)

Umbrella, Snowman, Lighthouse, Hot air balloon, Toaster, Rainbow, Cactus, Pizza, Volcano, Castle, Rocket, Ice cream cone, Treasure map, Bicycle, Guitar, Sunglasses, Teapot, Anchor, Tent, Mermaid, Dragon, Spider web, Hamburger, Igloo, Train, Robot, Crown, Kite, Lollipop, Ghost, Rubber duck, Palm tree, Wedding cake, Engagement ring, Couch, Alarm clock, Light bulb, Bridge, Windmill, Sailboat, Campfire, Moon and stars, Birthday cake, Pineapple, Hourglass, Key, Magnifying glass, Paper airplane, Watering can, Mailbox, Popcorn, Snail, Telescope, Taco, Butterfly, Hammock, Pirate ship, Traffic light, Roller skate, Cupcake, Planet Saturn, Toothbrush, Bow tie, Trophy, Scarecrow, Treehouse, Waterfall, Skateboard.

Party (adults) (94)

Dad dancing at a wedding, Hungover Sunday morning, Trying to look sober at a family dinner, Group photo where nobody is ready, Bachelorette party, Losing your phone at a party, Running for the last train, Waking up on a friend's couch, Splitting the bill with 12 people, Your ex walks into the bar, Karaoke power ballad, Selfie with a celebrity, Getting caught singing in the car, Awkward office party, Accidentally liking an old photo, Escaping a boring conversation, Opening a bottle of champagne, Spilling red wine on a white carpet, Forgetting someone's name mid-introduction, Tripping on the dance floor, Last one at the party, Losing a bet and paying up, Wedding speech that goes wrong, Sneaking in late without waking anyone, Getting a tattoo, Bouncer checking your ID, Photo bombing a stranger, Pretending you are not lost in a new city, Walk of shame, Third wheel on a date, Trying to flirt and failing, Getting caught in a lie, Sneaking snacks into a movie theater, Getting your card declined, Sending a text to the wrong group chat, Pretending you know the lyrics, Leaving a party without saying goodbye, Hiding a love bite with a scarf, Swiping on a dating app, A hug that turns into a handshake, Toilet paper stuck to your shoe, Realizing your fly was down all day, Ripping your pants when you bend over, Waving back at someone who waved at someone else, Mosh pit, Crowd surfing, Bachelor party in Vegas, Beer pong, Hangover cure that does not work, Waiting in line for the club bathroom, Dancing on a table, Ordering pizza at 3 am, Forgetting your own name in front of a crush, Hot sauce challenge, Doing a viral dance in public, Uncle telling the same story again, Losing at a game and flipping the board, Trying to take a group selfie with short arms, Eating spaghetti on a first date, Lip syncing at a wedding, Failing a TikTok challenge, Hiding behind a menu, Wedding bouquet toss, Riding a mechanical bull, Drunk texting your ex, Tequila shot with salt and lime, Trying to walk in a straight line, Kissing a stranger at midnight on New Year, Getting caught on the kiss cam, First date that feels like a job interview, Your date looks nothing like their photos, Sliding into someone's DMs, Pretending you did not see your ex, Stalking your crush's ex online, Fake phone call to escape a bad date, Holding your friend's hair back, Doing a keg stand, Bartender ignoring you all night, Being the designated driver, Getting cut off at the bar, Your ex shows up with someone hotter, Matching with your coworker on a dating app, Parents walking in while you make out, Making out in a photo booth, Accidentally video calling your crush, Shotgunning a beer, Flip cup, Worst pickup line ever, Pretending to know about wine, Going in for a kiss and getting the cheek, Getting dumped by text, Sneaking out before they wake up, Faking a hangover cure at brunch, Wingman who ruins everything.

Animals (40)

Kangaroo, Penguin waddling, Gorilla, Flamingo standing on one leg, Snake shedding its skin, Chicken, Elephant, Crab, Sloth, Frog, Kitten chasing a laser, Dog chasing its tail, T. rex, Octopus, Bat, Peacock, Lion, Monkey, Seal, Horse, Spider, Bee, Owl, Giraffe, Shark, Turtle, Rooster at sunrise, Squirrel hiding a nut, Duck with ducklings in a row, Cow being milked, Pig in mud, Bear catching fish, Crocodile, Camel, Mosquito, Hedgehog, Jellyfish, Woodpecker, Bunny, Goat.

Famous people (105)

Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Freddie Mercury, Madonna, Usain Bolt, Serena Williams, Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Shakira, Elton John, Dolly Parton, Oprah Winfrey, Gordon Ramsay, Bob Ross, Steve Jobs, Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, Napoleon, William Shakespeare, Mona Lisa, Santa Claus, The Queen of England, Darth Vader, Sherlock Holmes, Wonder Woman, Mr. Bean, Frankenstein, Dracula, Zendaya, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Bad Bunny, Drake, Kim Kardashian, Elon Musk, LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Simone Biles, Tom Brady, Roger Federer, Mike Tyson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dwayne Johnson, Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Timothee Chalamet, Pedro Pascal, Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Morgan Freeman, Nicolas Cage, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Audrey Hepburn, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Bruno Mars, Mick Jagger, Bob Marley, David Bowie, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Ozzy Osbourne, Cher, MrBeast, Martha Stewart, Steve Irwin, David Attenborough, Julia Child, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Isaac Newton, Neil Armstrong, Marie Curie, Princess Diana, Gandalf, Super Mario, Pikachu, Willy Wonka, Jack Sparrow, The Hulk, Superman, Mickey Mouse.

Funny to draw (adults) (81)

A cat on a Roomba, Hangover, Dad bod, Toddler tantrum, Burnt toast, Selfie stick, Mom jeans, Food baby, Bad hair day, Couch potato, Beer belly, Tan lines, Wedding crasher, Binge watching, Love handles, Brain freeze, Netflix and chill, Hot mess, Party animal, Drama queen, Night owl, Early bird, Pants on fire, Couch surfing, Elephant in the room, Piece of cake, Break a leg, Raining cats and dogs, Spill the beans, Love bird, Hickey, Beer goggles, Catfish, Red flag, Situationship, Rebound, Gold digger, Hen party, Bridezilla, Spin the bottle, Pillow talk, Bed hair, Sleeping on the couch, In the doghouse, Muffin top, Six pack, Wedgie, Frenemy, Shotgun wedding, Vegas wedding, Honeymoon phase, Old flame, Cold shoulder, Puppy love, Heartbreaker, Ball and chain, Swipe right, Thirst trap, Happy hour, Last call, Bar crawl, Hot tub, Skinny dipping, Speedo, Sunburn, Spray tan, Toupee, Booty call, Love triangle, Mother-in-law, Cougar, Sugar daddy, Tequila worm, Lipstick on the collar, Matching tattoos, Kebab at 3 am, Couples costume, Hairy back, Belly flop, Snoring partner, Bachelor pad.

Hard mode (best for Heads up) (45)

Jealousy, Deja vu, Procrastination, Long distance relationship, Walking on eggshells, Inside joke, Friend zone, Butterflies in your stomach, Love at first sight, Midlife crisis, Fear of missing out, Jet lag, Monday morning, Overthinking, Awkward silence, Ghosting, Wanderlust, Sarcasm, Nostalgia, Plot twist, Hangry, Guilty pleasure, Beginner's luck, Cold feet, Comfort zone, Gut feeling, Claustrophobia, Gossip, Temptation, Peace and quiet, Stage fright, Butterfingers, Peer pressure, Writer's block, Small talk, White lie, Tip of the tongue, Spilling the tea, Breaking the ice, Under the weather, Once in a blue moon, Head over heels, Pet peeve, Bucket list, Sunday scaries.