Funny Charades Ideas: 100+ Words Designed to Embarrass the Actor

Funny charades is not about funny words. It is about words that force the actor into an undignified position. "Clown" is a funny noun and a boring round. "Trying to get out of a beanbag" is not funny written down at all, and it is the best round of the night.

That is the whole principle: pick the word that makes the person acting look worse. Everything below is chosen on that basis. The Funny pack has 97 of them published in full and playable in the browser.

Physical comedy

Nothing to point at, so the actor has to commit with their whole body.

Slipping on ice, Getting out of a beanbag, Walking into a glass door, Sitting on a wobbly chair, Tripping over nothing, Sneezing while holding a drink, Being blown backwards by wind, Struggling with an umbrella, Missing a high five, Sitting down on a chair that is not there, Stepping on a plug, Chasing a runaway shopping trolley, Getting hair in your mouth, Trying to swat a fly, Dropping your phone on your face, Losing a shoe in mud, Getting a leg cramp, Squeezing into a full lift, Carrying too many bags, Falling asleep sitting up

Everyday humiliations

Everybody in the room has done these, which is why the guess lands so fast once the actor commits.

Waving at someone who was not waving at you, Talking on mute, Pushing a pull door, Forgetting someone's name mid-introduction, Laughing at a joke you did not hear, Calling your teacher "mum", Sending a message to the wrong chat, Realising your camera was on, Saying "you too" to a waiter, Walking into the wrong room, Getting caught singing in the car, Pretending to have read the book, Explaining a joke that has died, Being the last to know, Tripping and playing it off as a stretch, Reading a text aloud by accident, Trying to leave a conversation, Waving down a taxi that is not free, Applauding alone, Discovering you had food in your teeth the whole time

Animals doing something specific

A generic animal is easy. An animal in a situation is much funnier.

A cat knocking a glass off a table, A dog chasing its tail, A penguin on ice, A giraffe drinking water, A flamingo standing on one leg, A monkey stealing food, A sloth in a hurry, A chicken crossing a road, A cow trying to sit down, A hamster on a wheel, A fish out of water, A bird hitting a window, A snake with hiccups, A dog that will not walk, A cat refusing to be picked up, An owl turning its head, A frog missing a jump, A crab walking sideways, A horse refusing a jump, A goat on a roof

Impossible jobs

The comedy is entirely in the attempt.

Mime artist, Bouncer at an empty club, Traffic warden, Motivational speaker, Referee at a boring match, Air traffic controller, Someone reading an audiobook, Weather presenter, Cruise ship entertainer, Ventriloquist, Escapologist, Person handing out flyers, Sword swallower, Human statue, Wedding DJ, Hotel receptionist at 4am, Substitute teacher, Tour guide nobody is listening to, Someone doing a safety demonstration, Auctioneer

Very specific feelings

Abstract, but instantly recognisable when acted well.

The exact moment you remember what you forgot, Trying not to laugh at a funeral, Pretending to enjoy a gift, Realising you are lost but continuing confidently, Hearing your own voice in a recording, Getting a compliment you do not believe, Waiting for a slow website, Watching someone else struggle with a task you could do, The second before you sneeze, Losing an argument you started

How to make any pack funnier

Take away the passes. The best rounds happen when the actor is trapped with a word they cannot do. One pass per turn maximum, or none.

Make the actor stand up. Sitting on a sofa kills physical comedy. This one change does more than any word list.

Do not explain afterwards. The urge to say "I was doing the bit where..." ruins the round. Move on.

Use a shorter timer. Forty-five seconds instead of sixty forces commitment. People get funnier under pressure and more self-conscious with time to think.

Film it. Half the value of a funny round is watching it back. The app records the round while you play, which is the only reason anybody remembers what happened.

More rule variations are in the charades rules.

Packs to play instead of reading

• Funny charades — 97 words, full list published
• Act It Out charades — 143 situations rather than nouns
• Emotions charades — pure facial and physical acting
• Hard charades — 111 words for a group that has stopped being embarrassed
• Party packs — everything built for a loud room

Or open the charades generator and let it choose the humiliation.