Wordplay Social deception Pen & paper
Fictionary
Also called The Dictionary Game
Someone reads out a real word nobody knows. Everyone writes a fake definition, then guesses which one is real.
the best bit: your made-up definition getting more votes than the real one
- Players
- 4–10 (best with 5–8)
- Time
- 20–45 min
- Learn in
- A minute
- Mood
- Chill
- Format
- Everyone for themselves
The 30-second version
One player finds an obscure word in the dictionary and reads it out. Everyone else writes a convincing fake definition while the reader copies down the real one. The reader reads them all out, and everyone votes for the one they think is real. You score for guessing right and for fooling people.
read this, then walk through the steps below once.
Grab these
Set up
- Everyone gets a pen and some paper.
- Pick someone to be the first reader. They get the dictionary.
How to play
-
Find a word
The reader picks a word nobody is likely to know, then says it and spells it. If anyone actually knows it, pick another.
-
Write a fake
Everyone writes a believable definition and hands it to the reader. The reader copies the real definition onto a slip of their own.
-
Read them out
The reader shuffles the slips and reads every definition aloud, real one included, with a straight face.
-
Vote
Going around, everyone says which definition they think is real.
-
Score
You get a point for voting for the real one, and a point for every vote your fake gets. If nobody picks the real one, the reader gets 3 points. Then the dictionary passes left.
How to win
Play until everyone has been the reader once. The most points wins.
From experience…
- Write like a dictionary: "noun. A small wooden peg used in…" fools more people than a joke.
- Readers: read the slips to yourself first. Stumbling over someone's handwriting gives it away.