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Pictionary words list

Over 400 Pictionary words sorted by difficulty and theme. Read them out from the lists below, or let the Pictionary word generator pick one at random with a timer.

Easy Pictionary words

Medium Pictionary words

Hard Pictionary words

Pictionary words for kids

Funny Pictionary words

Christmas Pictionary words

Halloween Pictionary words

Food Pictionary words

Animal Pictionary words

Action Pictionary words

Movie-style Pictionary ideas

How to pick Pictionary words for your group

Match the words to the youngest or least confident player. Easy words and the kids list are single objects that anyone can sketch in a few seconds. Medium words need a small scene, like a lemonade stand or a fire drill. Hard words are ideas and sayings, so players have to think in pictures, which is where the best laughs come from.

For a mixed family game, alternate: a kid draws an easy word, then an adult draws a hard one. Seasonal lists are perfect for holiday parties, and the funny list works well as a bonus round.

Pictionary rules in a nutshell

  • Split into two teams and pick a drawer.
  • The drawer gets a secret word and has about 60 seconds.
  • No letters, numbers or talking. Pointing at the drawing is fine.
  • The team scores a point for a correct guess, then the next team takes a turn.

Want a timer and scores on screen? Use the Pictionary word generator. For more game ideas, see our list of drawing games.

Tips for drawing hard words

Break a phrase into parts. For brain freeze, draw an ice cream cone, then a head with a shiver. Use arrows and quick symbols: a plus sign to join two ideas or a question mark when the team is close. Drawing a small clock or calendar helps with words about time.

Keep going

Questions

What are good Pictionary words?

Good Pictionary words are easy to picture but not too obvious. Concrete nouns like igloo or hammock work for beginners, while sayings like cold feet or early bird make great harder rounds.

What are easy Pictionary words for kids?

Try simple objects and animals such as bus, frog, balloon, tooth and rainbow. Our Pictionary words for kids list has more than 80 of them.

What are funny Pictionary words for adults?

Silly scenes like a llama at the hair salon or a shark at the dentist, and idioms like raining cats and dogs or piece of cake, always get a laugh.

How many words do you need for a game of Pictionary?

A typical game uses 30 to 50 words. With two teams and one-minute turns, that is about an hour of play.