Difficult Hangman Phrases
Choose phrases with few vowels to stump your opponent. Most of the time when you're playing Hangman, your opponent will guess vowels first because they’re common in words—using up to five guesses. If a Hangman phrase has very few (or no) vowels, they’ll have a harder time figuring out the word. Just make sure they’re a good sport—some of these secret words will be frustrating to decipher. No Vowels Cwm (Welsh use of ‘W’) Crwth (Welsh use of ‘W’) TV Shh Psst Hmm PST (time zone) Nth Brr Few Vowels Hymn Lynx Myth Sphynx Rhythm Sync Flysch Ghylls Sylphs Syzygy Crypt Glyph Myrrh Nymph Slyly Wryly Tryst Fly Gym
Pick phrases with uncommon consonants like J, Q, X, and Z. These are generally agreed to be the rarest letters in the English language. Use phrases with these letters in your Hangman game to make your opponent go through more common consonants before uncovering a letter. Bonus points if the word has more than one of these letters! Quiz Jazz – Mathematician Jon McLoone calculated that jazz is the hardest Hangman word to guess! Fizz Buzz Jinx Fuzz Jink Haze Hajj Vex Fox Apex Affix Annex Axel Coccyx Lax Junk Razz Buzzing Zit Zine Zap Zinc Dizzy Jiff Zigzag Quest Quaff Qualm Query Quietude Quip
Challenge players with phrases that have unusual letter combinations. Think of words that put together letters you don’t normally see together—like ‘ph,’ ‘phth,’ and ‘yt.’ Even if your opponent uncovers some letters, they’ll have a hard time guessing the whole word from these uncommon letter combos. Diphthong Diphtheria Ophthalmologist Ytterbium Myth Byte Oocyte Acolyte Flytrap Anytime Umph Phoo Phial Morph Aphid Tip: Use Merriam-Webster’s Word Finder tool to look up words with any letter combination you can think of. Set your search filters to “Any Words” and “Containing in order” for the most accurate results.
Unique Hangman Phrases
Stump players with uncommon words and phrases. No matter which letters you guess correctly in Hangman, your guess to solve the puzzle will be limited to words you know. Challenge opponents by choosing secret phrases that aren’t common. As long as they know ahead of time—and they’re up for the task—it can be a way to expand both of your vocabularies! Biblioklept Nauseant Addend Agelast Peristeronic Hibernal Subnivean Sitzmark Primaveral Solivagant Filipendulous Jentacular Catillate Bellycheer Avidulous Retrogradation Spinous Illaudable Grimoire Fantod Dyspathy Orgulous Dilapidator Crimpy Jubilarian
Funny Hangman Phrases
Pick a funny phrase or word to make your opponent laugh. Recall words or phrases you’ve heard that made you crack a smile—they just sounded silly without any context. These are fun terms to try in a Hangman game, as your opponent will eventually have to read the humorous phrase aloud. Because of their unserious nature, they may also be uncommon, making them difficult to guess. Flibbertigibbet Mollycoddle Dingus Doohickey Ballyhoo Fuddy-duddy Sozzled Bumfuzzled Foppish Brouhaha Gobbledygook Jackanapes Ragamuffin Cattywampus Slumgullion Hullabaloo Ill-willie Hogwash Unperson Taradiddle Widdershins Highfalutin Slantindicular Bodacious Jimberjawed Canoodle
Hangman Phrases for Kids
Help children play Hangman using Fry’s instant words. These instant sight words are high-frequency words that Dr. Edward Fry assessed as commonly encountered by children when reading. Practicing reading these words can help children improve their speed and accuracy as they read. Use these phrases in your game, or consult the full list for more options. Down by the water Tell the truth Around the clock Think before you act Any old time It’s a small world Read between the lines Always be kind In the big city Leave it to me First day of school Ever since I knew you It happened today We need more space What happened here? Twenty-four hours a day Against all odds Tried and true Go figure Today was better Who brought the cake? My circle of friends Twelve inches to a foot What’s the difference? I believe in you Tip: Swap the hanged man (and name of the game) for a snowman or flower to make it more child-friendly when playing at home or at school.
Tips for Picking Good Hangman Phrases
Set boundaries on how obscure phrases can be. Trying to stump someone with uncommon, archaic, or ridiculous words and phrases is fun—but it also affects how fair the game feels to play. Before playing, ask if the other player or players are okay with guessing obscure words or if they’d rather stick to familiar ones. Apply the same rules no matter who’s making up the secret word or phrase and who’s guessing.
Mix challenging words with more common ones. To make the game more equitable, alternate between common and uncommon words and phrases. For example, start with a familiar word like “balloon,” then challenge them to guess “quietude.” You can also work your way up from easy words to obscure ones—and if you’re keeping score, make harder phrases worth more points.
Be on the lookout for new phrases. Subscribe to a dictionary’s word-of-the-day newsletter. Skim through the dictionary for interesting letter combinations or funny-sounding phrases. Or, watch Wheel of Fortune, which is based on the game Hangman, for more inspiration. Themed Hangman games (like those on the show) can be even more fun!
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