Pictionary Word List: 300 Words By Difficulty

Pictionary lives or dies on the word list. Too easy and there's no game; too abstract and someone draws a circle for four minutes.

Cut these up and put them in a bowl, or read them off a phone. Sixty seconds a turn, no letters, no numbers, no talking.

Easy - for children and warm-up rounds

This gentle selection is absolutely perfect for younger players, complete beginners, or as a quick warm-up round to get everyone into the competitive spirit. Use it during family gatherings or on rainy afternoons when you want to build confidence. A great practical tip is to focus entirely on basic outlines rather than fine details, because speed is much more important than artistic perfection.

• Cat, dog, house, tree, sun, moon, star, car, boat, train.
• Apple, banana, cake, pizza, ice cream, egg, cheese, carrot, milk, biscuit.
• Hat, shoe, sock, glasses, umbrella, clock, key, book, ball, balloon.
• Fish, bird, spider, snake, horse, cow, sheep, frog, bee, elephant.
• Rain, snow, rainbow, cloud, fire, beach, mountain, river, flower, garden.
• Bed, chair, door, window, table, cup, spoon, phone, television, toothbrush.
• Snowman, ghost, pirate, robot, crown, castle, rocket, dinosaur, butterfly, kite.

Medium

Designed for teenagers and adults, this list offers a satisfying challenge without causing total frustration. It is brilliant for lively dinner parties or weekend gatherings with friends who want to test their sketching skills. To help your team guess quickly, try breaking the word down into smaller, recognisable components rather than attempting to draw the whole scene at once.

• Lighthouse, windmill, treehouse, greenhouse, bridge, tunnel, fountain, statue, escalator, roundabout.
• Postman, firefighter, dentist, farmer, chef, lifeguard, nurse, referee, magician, scientist.
• Suitcase, wheelbarrow, telescope, microscope, typewriter, compass, hourglass, camera, guitar, drum kit.
• Waterfall, volcano, iceberg, desert, jungle, cave, island, campfire, tent, hammock.
• Traffic jam, queue, rush hour, birthday party, wedding, picnic, sleepover, bus stop, car boot sale, school run.
• Sunburn, hiccups, sneeze, yawn, headache, broken leg, haircut, bath, sunbathing, snoring.
• Hot air balloon, submarine, tractor, ambulance, skateboard, helicopter, canoe, motorbike, sledge, wheelchair.

Hard

This section is tailor-made for experienced players and abstract thinkers who enjoy a real creative test. It is best saved for late-night sessions when the atmosphere is lively and the competition gets serious. Since these concepts are tricky, try using arrows or comparative drawings to represent the ideas, rather than struggling to sketch the impossible literal meanings.

• Gravity, echo, silence, jealousy, patience, luck, freedom, nostalgia, gossip, boredom.
• Déjà vu, the future, teamwork, retirement, democracy, inflation, tradition, ambition, exhaustion, regret.
• Time travel, evolution, recycling, homesick, overtime, deadline, promotion, redundancy, insurance, mortgage.
• Optical illusion, chain reaction, hide and seek, tug of war, musical chairs, karaoke, charades, jigsaw, crossword, wordsearch.
• Global warming, rush of blood, cold shoulder, elephant in the room, spilling the beans, bite the bullet, cost an arm and a leg, under the weather, break the ice, piece of cake.

Actions and verbs

Perfect for energetic groups and those who love a bit of drama, this selection brings plenty of movement to the board. It is ideal for breaking the ice at social gatherings when the room needs a sudden burst of energy. A useful tip here is to draw stick figures and add motion lines to clearly show the direction of the movement.

• Running, swimming, sleeping, laughing, crying, dancing, jumping, climbing, falling, hiding.
• Cooking, washing up, hoovering, ironing, gardening, painting, knitting, driving, shopping, queueing.
• Fishing, skiing, surfing, boxing, cycling, bowling, skipping, juggling, rowing, camping.
• Whispering, shouting, arguing, apologising, celebrating, proposing, waving goodbye, tiptoeing, eavesdropping, daydreaming.

Films, books and TV

This entertaining category suits pop culture enthusiasts, movie buffs, and bookworms of all generations. It is brilliant for cosy Sunday afternoons or festive family get-togethers when everyone is relaxed. To get a fast answer, focus on sketching one iconic prop or a famous character accessory rather than trying to illustrate the entire plot of the story.

• Jaws, Titanic, Frozen, Up, Alien, Rocky, Grease, Cars, Shrek, Casino Royale.
• The Lion King, Toy Story, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Home Alone, Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz, Finding Nemo, Star Wars, E.T.
• Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, Countdown, Gogglebox, EastEnders, Blue Peter, Top Gear, Dragons' Den, The Apprentice.
• Peter Pan, Cinderella, The Gruffalo, Matilda, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island, Oliver Twist, The Hungry Caterpillar, Sherlock Holmes.

Christmas and seasonal

This festive collection is wonderful for holiday hosts and families looking to add some extra cheer to their celebrations. Use it during Boxing Day gatherings, Christmas Eve parties, or cosy winter evenings. A handy tip for this round is to keep a green and red pen nearby, as a splash of seasonal colour makes these traditional themes instantly recognisable.

• Father Christmas, reindeer, sleigh, chimney, stocking, cracker, mince pie, Brussels sprout, turkey, tinsel.
• Nativity, carol singers, mistletoe, wreath, advent calendar, Christmas jumper, Boxing Day, sales queue, snowball fight, midnight mass.
• Easter egg, bunny, daffodil, pancake, fireworks, bonfire, pumpkin, trick or treat, Halloween costume, New Year countdown.

House rules worth agreeing first

Ideal for organised hosts and competitive groups, these guidelines ensure everyone plays fairly and enjoys the evening. It is best to agree on these before handing over the first marker pen to prevent any heated debates later. For a smooth game, write these rules on a visible sheet of paper so players can quickly refer to them during play.

• Sixty seconds per turn, ninety for the hard list.
• No letters, no numbers, no speaking, no gestures. Pointing at your own drawing is allowed.
• One point for a correct guess, and a point to the drawer too - it stops the good artist hogging the pen.
• Skip rule: one pass per turn, no penalty.
• Play in teams of at least three, or the guesser has no support.

Easy - objects

• House
• Tree
• Cat
• Car
• Umbrella
• Boat
• Cake
• Ladder
• Guitar
• Sun
• Teapot
• Bicycle

Hard - concepts

• Gravity
• Jealousy
• Deadline
• Recycling
• Nostalgia
• Inflation
• Democracy
• Time travel
• Homesick
• Overtime
• Silence
• Luck

For children

• Rainbow
• Ice cream
• Dinosaur
• Football
• Butterfly
• Pirate
• Robot
• Bath time
• School bus
• Birthday cake

Christmas round

• Christmas tree
• Reindeer
• Cracker
• Mince pie
• Carol singers
• Sleigh
• Stocking
• Brussels sprouts
• Nativity
• Wrapping paper

Films and TV for adults

• The Godfather
• Star Wars
• Bake Off
• Doctor Who
• Breaking Bad
• The Office
• Jaws
• Mamma Mia

Rules that keep it fair

• No letters, numbers or words in the drawing.
• No speaking or gesturing by the artist.
• One minute per turn, timed by the other team.
• Drawer rotates every turn - no designated artist.
• Grade the words: one easy, one medium, one hard per round.
• Big paper, thick pen. Half of all disputes are legibility.

Key things to remember

• Sixty seconds easy, ninety seconds hard.
• Point the drawer gets too, or the artist hogs the pen.
• Cut them up into a bowl - it's faster than a phone.
• Grade each round - one easy, one medium, one hard - so scores stay close.
• Big paper and a thick marker prevent most of the arguments.

Frequently asked questions

What are good Pictionary words?

Concrete objects for easy rounds - cat, house, umbrella, lighthouse - and abstract ideas for hard rounds like gravity, boredom or nostalgia. Mix in actions and film titles to keep rounds varied.

What are easy Pictionary words for kids?

Cat, dog, house, sun, cake, hat, fish, rainbow, snowman, dinosaur. Things a child can picture instantly and draw with five lines.

What are hard Pictionary words?

Abstract nouns and phrases - gravity, jealousy, déjà vu, teamwork, the elephant in the room, cost an arm and a leg. Nothing to draw directly, so the drawer has to build an idea.

What are the rules of Pictionary?

Sixty seconds a turn, no letters, numbers, speaking or gestures. Teams of three or more, one point for a correct guess and one for the drawer, and one free pass per turn.

Do you sell games or party packs?

No - we make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK. Every list here is free to read, print or copy, and the only products on this page are our own cards.

What are good hard Pictionary words?

Abstract concepts work best - gravity, jealousy, deadline, nostalgia, inflation. They force the artist into storytelling rather than object drawing.

How long is a Pictionary turn?

One minute is standard, timed by the opposing team. Ninety seconds is kinder with harder words.

What is a good example of pictionary word lists?

"No letters, numbers or words in the drawing." is one of 70 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.

Can I copy these messages word for word?

Yes. Everything on this page is free to copy, print and read out - no permission or credit needed. Changing one detail so it fits the person is all we would suggest.

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