16 Fun Word Games For Adults to Play

You found our list of the best word games for adults.

Word games are fun activities that test vocabulary, spelling, and language skills. Examples include Hangman, Skribbl, and Crosswords. These games aim to ensure that teammates have fun, interact and unwind while improving communication skills.

These challenges are similar to vocabulary games, letter games, interactive activities for students, and quick games for the office.

This list includes:

• word games for groups
• spelling word games for adults
• simple word games
• writing games for adults
• verbal games
• word puzzles for adults
• popular word games

Here we go!

List of fun word games for adults

From I Spy to Words Within a Word to Scattergories, here is our list of fun word games and activities.

1. Words Within a Word

Words Within a Word is one of the best word games for groups because it encourages teammates to brainstorm and share ideas.

To play:

1. Share pieces of paper and pencils with teammates.
2. The teammates will choose a host for the game.
3. The host will select 15 to 20 long words.
4. The host will share the words one at a time with the players.
5. The players have 30 to 60 seconds to find as many words as possible within the given word and write them on paper. For example, the word “Explanation” has the words “Planet,” “plane,” “tin,” and “pin.”
6. The player with the most words within the allocated time wins the round.
7. The game will continue this way until the players have used up all the words.

This game is a fun way for teammates to test their language skills and develop their spelling skills. You can also organize this activity online by encouraging teammates to use the chat box. This activity can serve as an icebreaker activity for online meetings or a fun game during team get-togethers.

2. Sparkles

Sparkles is a fun word game that improves teammates’ spelling skills. In this activity, the players will sit in a circle. The first player will say a word out loud, then the second player will spell out the first letter of the word while the third player spells out the second letter. The game will continue until the last letter of the word is spelled out. The next player will yell “sparkles” and get out of the game.

The players will then begin spelling another word, and whosoever yells “sparkles” at the end of the word is out of the game. This game broadens teammates’ vocabulary and ensures that teammates collaborate. Whichever player also spells out the wrong letter is out of the game. To make this game as exciting as possible, challenge the players with difficult words that may be difficult to spell.

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3. Common Quality

Common Quality is one of the best verbal games for teammates because it teaches players to connect specific descriptions to words. In this activity, the first player will say a word and a characteristic that the word has. For example, apples are green. The next player will then say a word with the same attribute or characteristic. For instance, vegetables are also green and healthy.

The next players will then use the next attribute to describe another word. The game will continue in this fashion until each player has several turns.

4. Hangman

Hangman is a fun and exciting game where teammates solve word puzzles to escape the hangman’s noose.

To play:

1. Split the teammates into small groups of four to six.
2. Choose a player to create words.
3. The wordmaster writes down dashes on a board to represent each letter of a word.
4. The teammates will need to guess the word by guessing the letters.
5. The wordmaster will write each correct letter as it appears within the word.
6. If a player guesses incorrectly, then the wordmaster draws a part of the hangman’s noose
7. The game will continue in this fashion until players guess the word or the wordmaster completes the hangman.

This game is one of the best spelling word games for adults because it is easy to play and exciting. You can also play this game on any video conferencing platform using the whiteboard feature.

5. I Spy

I Spy is a classic word game that boosts teammates’ vocabulary and improves language. In this game, a player will identify an item and give hints for teammates to guess. For example, players will say, “I spy with my little eye something beginning with H.” Then, the teammates will take turns guessing the word.

Players have 60 seconds to get the answer right, or another player will take a turn. This activity is simple to organize, fun, and easy to play. You can also organize this activity via video call for teammates. I Spy counts as a word game because it encourages participants to associate descriptive words with nouns.

6. Scattergories

Scattergories is one of the most simple word games for adults. This game expands players’ vocabulary and is a fun way for teammates to engage and interact.

To play:

1. Choose 12 categories. For example, fruits, names, and animals.
2. The players will randomly choose a letter, and each teammate has 60 seconds to fill in words starting with the given letter in each category. For example, if the teammates choose the letter “S,” they may fill in the given categories with “Strawberries,” “Sonia’, and “Snake.”
3. Each teammate who fills each category within the allocated time gets three points.
4. Players do not get any points for an answer if another player also comes up with the same response.
5. At the end of the game, the player with the highest point wins.
6. Teammates can also play this game online on any video conferencing platform or applications like Slack or Discord.

Here is a collection of team building Scattergories lists.

7. Crosswords

Crosswords is a simple and entertaining game where teammates match letters in a grid to make words. Teammates can play this game individually or in teams for free online.

The teammates can set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes, and each team must find all the words in the grid within the allocated time. The first team to cross all the words wins the game. To play this activity online, you can use a fillable crossword website or share a puzzle onscreen during a conference call and turn on the annotation feature so that participants can fill in letters.

This game is an exciting way for teammates to unwind, get to know each other, and develop friendships.

Here is a free online crossword game.

8. My Story

My story is one of the most interactive games for adults. This game allows teammates to build stories or create novel ideas from scratch.

To play:

1. Split the teammates into groups.
2. Each group will get a set of words. For example, “Miami,” “wealth,” “sadness,” and “future.”
3. Each team member must write a short two-sentence story with one of the words.
4. The group members will then combine stories and ensure that it flows.
5. The best story wins.

This game is an easy way for teammates to show their creativity, collaborate and share ideas. To make this game even more exciting, the teammates can make their stories as funny and outrageous as possible.

9. Random Word Game

Random Word Game is a fun and easy game that challenges teammates’ knowledge. In this game, players must come up with words starting with the last letter of a teammate’s word.

To play:

1. The players will sit in a circle.
2. The first player will choose any category. For example, fruits.
3. The first player must name any word within the selected category. For example, “banana.”
4. The next player must then call any other fruit beginning with the last word of the given word. For example, “apple.”
5. The game will continue in this fashion until all the teammates get several turns.
6. The teammates have only 30 seconds to come up with words.
7. Any player who cannot come up with a word within the allocated time is out of the game.

This game teaches teammates to think and brainstorm under pressure and helps test teammates’ knowledge on a variety of topics and categories.

For inspiration, here is a random word generator.

10. Rhyming Word Game

Rhyming Word Game is a fun activity that promotes learning and encourages teammates to interact with each other. In this activity, the first player will say a word, and the other teammates will take turns saying words that rhyme.

If the teammates run out of rhymes, the next player will come up with a new word, and other players will find matching rhymes. The game will continue in this fashion for several rounds. This game is a fun way to test teammates’ knowledge and challenge players to learn new words.

Pro tip: To make the game extra funny and challenging, teammates might purposely use words that are difficult to rhyme.

11. The Alliteration Game

The Alliteration Game is a fun and engaging game that requires teammates to create complete sentences, all beginning with a chosen letter.

To play:

1. The teammates will sit in a circle.
2. The players will play in alphabetical order. For example, the first player will choose the letter “A,” the second player the letter “B,” and the third player the letter “C.”
3. Each player will create a full sentence using alliterations with their given letter. For example, Allison Ate All the Angel’s Apples
4. The game will continue in the fashion until each player has had a turn.
5. The players must switch positions to play a new round.
6. Players who can’t use their given letter can skip to the next one.
7. Each player can only skip twice.

This game is a great way to spark conversations among teammates and encourage employees to interact with each other. This is one of the best activities for team building or an icebreaker activity for online meetings.

12. Scrabble

Scrabble is a classic word board game where teammates get words for creating new words. This activity is an easy way to encourage team building and foster team bonding.

To play:

1. Get a Scrabble board with all of its components.
2. Get a dictionary in case teammates need to confirm words.
3. The players will choose an order in which to play.
4. Shake the bag of letters to mix up the letters, then each player will pick a letter.
5. The players will continue in this fashion until each player has drawn seven letters.
6. Next, each player will arrange their letters on a letter.
7. The first player will create a word on the board horizontally or vertically.
8. Each letter has score points. The player will accumulate points for each complete word and note them down.
9. Players will draw new tiles for each tile used up during a turn. For example, if a player uses up five tiles for a word, then can only draw five more tiles from the bag at the end of their turn.
10. Players can create new words from other teammates’ words on the board.
11. The game will continue in this fashion until the board is full.

The teammates can refer to the dictionary if they have any confusion about a teammate’s word. This activity is a fun way for teammates to develop their spelling skills and learn the meaning of words. In addition, since players must make words around the letters already on the board, this activity encourages employees to build upon teammates’ ideas instead of creating solo.

13. Four Pictures One Word

Four Pictures One Word is an exciting online game that challenges teammates to brainstorm and pay attention to detail. In this game, the players will get four pictures that can be described with one word. Then, the players must guess the word right within a given time.

Participants can play individually or in teams. Teammates have 30 to 60 seconds to guess the word before the game passes it on to the next player or team. This activity broadens teammates’ vocabulary and helps improve spelling skills.

Here is a free Four Pictures One Word website.

14. Skribbl

Skribbl is a fun game that encourages players to cooperate and work together to solve word puzzles.

To play:

1. Access the Skribbl website.
2. Choose between three given words to draw.
3. Split the teammates into groups.
4. Each group will choose a player to draw.
5. The player will draw the given word using the tools available on the screen.
6. The teammates must guess the word the player is drawing within 60 to 80 seconds.
7. The game will continue in this manner until each group has had several turns.
8. The group with the highest points wins the game.

This game teaches teammates to collaborate and follow instructions from colleagues or superiors. This activity is also the perfect opportunity for teammates to engage and get to know each other.

Here is the Skribbl website.

15. The Word Spell

The Word Spell is a fun activity that teammates can use to develop their spelling skills. For this game, teammates will need a dictionary, a sheet of paper, and a pencil or pen.

To play:

1. The teammates will choose a host to oversee the game.
2. The teammates will choose an order in which to play.
3. The host will randomly select a word in the dictionary and read out its definition without saying what the word is.
4. The first player will guess the word and spell it.
5. The host may offer clues through synonyms or by telling the player how many letters the word has.
6. The game will continue in this fashion until each player has had several turns.

This activity challenges teammates to learn and helps broaden their vocabulary. This activity is a fun icebreaker for work and is a great way to ensure team bonding and interaction. You can also play this game online by typing the word’s definition and sharing it with attendees, and players must guess and send the word via the comment box. The first player to get the answer right wins the round.

16. Comic Story Telling

Comic Story Telling is one of the best writing games for adults because it allows folks to show off their storytelling skills and have fun. In this activity, teammates will need a notepad and pens.

To play:

1. Sit in a circle.
2. The first player will write a line of a funny story and pass the notepad to the next player.
3. The next player will continue the story with another funny line.
4. The game will continue in this fashion until the players find a satisfying and funny end to the story.

This activity will cause loud bouts of laughter, which will help teammates unwind, interact and bond with each other. This activity is also an excellent opportunity for teammates to share fun ideas and work together.

Conclusion

Word games help test teammates’ verbal, language, and spelling skills which may be necessary at work. These games also allow teammates to discuss, interact and get to know each other. Most of these activities are very easy and require little to no guidance.

For more resources, check out communication games, guessing games, and question games.