🔪 THE PARTY GAME OF LIES

Imposter Game — the free online party word game. Trust
no one.

Everyone gets the same secret word — except one of you. Pass the phone, drop one-word clues, and catch the imposter before time runs out. 😈

Start a game 3–15 SUSPECTS · FREE · NO DOWNLOAD

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👥 Players

👻 Imposters

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🗂 Categories

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⏱ Round timer

stop early anytime

💡 Hint for the imposter

The imposter sees a vague clue under their card — easier to blend in

🔥 Hard mode

The imposter's hint is only the category — much harder to fake a clue

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TONIGHT'S LEADERBOARD

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How to play.

Explain it once in 30 seconds. The mind games last all night.

Deal the cards 🤫

Pass the phone around. Everyone secretly peeks at their card — the crew sees the word, the imposter sees a hint (or nothing).

Drop one clue 🗣

Take turns saying exactly one word related to the secret word. Too obvious helps the imposter; too vague makes YOU look sus.

Vote it out 👉

Interrogate, accuse, and vote on who's faking. The imposter's job: survive the vote — or guess the secret word.

Score points 🏆

Catch the imposter: crew scores. Fool everyone: imposter scores big. Play rounds all night — the leaderboard remembers.

How to play — FAQ.

Everything you need to know about how to play the imposter game — the free social-deduction word game.

How do you play the imposter game?

Gather 3–15 players around one phone and pass it around so everyone can secretly peek at their card. The whole crew sees the same secret word; one hidden player — the imposter — gets only a vague hint. Then play four steps: give clues (one word each, in turn), discuss, vote on who the faker is, and score. The clue round is where the game lives — say something too plain and you hand the imposter the word, say something too vague and the crew turns on you. Full rules are in the how to play guide.

How many players do you need for the imposter game?

3 to 15 players on one device. Three works but is tight — the imposter has only two clues to hide behind. Five to eight is the sweet spot. At 8 or more, add a second imposter so the crew can't just eliminate by process of elimination.

How does the imposter win?

Two ways: survive the vote without being caught, or — if caught — guess the secret word from the clues everyone dropped. That second path is why a cornered imposter should keep listening instead of arguing. Tactics for both sides are in the strategy guide.

Can you play the imposter game online with friends in different places?

The game is pass-and-play on a single device, so remote groups play it over a video call: one person opens the game and shares their screen for the clue round and the vote, then stops sharing and DMs each player their card. It's a workaround, not a lobby system — there's no account or matchmaking here by design.

Can I add my own words?

Yes. Add custom words with your own hints — inside jokes, coworkers' names, hometown landmarks — and play them as their own category. Type a word, add an optional hint after a slash (Disneyland / a happy place), and add three or more to unlock the pack. There's a guide on writing custom words that actually work.

Is the imposter game kid-friendly?

Every built-in category is family-safe. For younger players, the kid-friendly word list has 52 simpler words chosen so a 6-year-old can still find a clue. For adults-only chaos, build a custom pack.

Is the imposter game free?

Completely. It runs in any browser — no download, no signup, no ads between rounds.

The imposter word game, rebuilt for game night

This is the classic imposter game — the social deduction party game where everyone knows the secret word except one player — playable free in any browser. No app download, no signup, no scrambling for word ideas. Set up in ten seconds and start lying to your friends.

A built-in word generator

800+ curated imposter game words across 16 categories — food, movies, music, memes, celebrities, fictional characters and more. Every word ships with a vague hint for the imposter.

Your words, your rules

Add custom words with your own hints — inside jokes, coworkers' names, hometown spots — and play them as their own category.

Scores that stick

Unlike most imposter games online, rounds add up. Catch the faker, earn points, and settle who's the best liar by the end of the night.

Read the FAQ for player counts, scoring, custom packs and playing over a video call.

Guides & word lists

Everything we've written about running a good round — the rules in full, the complete word deck, and the tactics that decide who wins.

How to play The complete rulebook — setup, clues, voting, scoring and how the imposter steals a round. Strategy Clue tactics for the crew, bluffing tactics for the imposter, and the tells that give people away. The full word list All 832 secret words and their imposter hints, across 16 categories. Nothing held back. Variations & house rules Twelve ways to change the game when your group has read each other too well. Writing custom words Why most homemade packs fall flat, the four tests a good word passes, and three example packs. Words for kids 52 simpler words a seven-year-old will get instantly, for family and classroom games. Imposter vs Spyfall & friends An honest comparison with The Chameleon, Werewolf and Codenames — and which suits your group.