Pictionary Word Generator
The list holds 396 drawable nouns in 6 categories, 144 of them easy. The word stays hidden until the artist taps Show, and the timer defaults to 60 seconds.
How to use
- Pick categories and a difficulty. Easy words are simple shapes, hard words need clever drawing.
- The artist presses New word, then Show, memorises it and presses Start timer. Hide the word keeps it covered for everyone else.
- When the team guesses it, press Got it (+1) to score and draw the next word. Skip passes. Next team resets the timer for the other side.
How it works
Every word is a noun that can be drawn as a picture, written for this tool: 396 entries in 6 categories (animals, food, home, nature, places and transport). Verbs and abstract ideas are left out, which is the main difference from a charades list. Difficulty reflects how hard the picture is to draw, not how rare the word is.
Each press draws a random word that has not come up yet, using the browser's secure random source. When the whole selection has been used, the pool reshuffles. Changing categories or difficulty starts a fresh pool.
The timer measures real elapsed time, so it stays right when the tab is in the background. At zero it plays a chime (optional), flashes the tab title and reveals the word.
Pictionary rules in brief
- The artist draws on paper or a whiteboard. No letters, no numbers and no spoken or mouthed clues.
- No gestures to the team, apart from pointing at the drawing itself.
- Teammates guess out loud as often as they like. The word counts when someone says it exactly.
- The usual round is 60 seconds. Use 30 seconds with easy words and young players, or 90 for hard words.
- Rotate the artist within each team so everyone draws.
Drawing tips for hard words
- Break compound words into parts, such as sun plus rise or moon plus light.
- Show scale and context. A tiny person under a huge shape makes a tower or a whale clear.
- Draw what the object is made of or what it is used for. Add arrows for motion.
- Skip the word if the timer is past half and nobody is close. A new word is worth more than a stuck one.
FAQ
How is this different from a charades list?
Charades words are acted out, so they include actions and story titles. These are nouns that make a recognisable picture. The two tools use different word sets and different rules.
Can I use it without paper?
Yes. Any whiteboard, paper pad, drawing app or even a finger on a steamed window works. The tool only supplies the words and the clock.
How do I keep the word from the guessers?
Hide the word is on by default. Only the artist presses Show, and the word is covered again by pressing Hide before the phone is passed around.
What do the difficulty levels mean?
Easy is simple everyday shapes (cat, pizza, house). Medium has more detail (octopus, waterfall, submarine). Hard words are tricky to draw (eclipse, Taj Mahal, constellation). Mixed uses all three.
Can I add my own words?
Not in this version. The list is fixed so every round draws from words that are fair to draw. You can still use a word you think of yourself and ignore the one shown.