charades

/ ʃəˈrɑːdz /

noun

1. functioning as singular a parlour game in which one team acts out each syllable of a word, the other team having to guess the word

Word History and Origins

Origin of charades¹

C18: from French charade entertainment, from Provençal charrado chat, from charra chatter, of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Hitler ran a regime that engaged in elaborate charades to bamboozle sympathetic and influential foreigners about the nature of the Nazi state.

From Salon

A game of charades, which serves as a substitute for the play-within-a-play, exposes Rev’s guilt as effectively as “The Mousetrap” catches the conscience of the king in “Hamlet.”

From Los Angeles Times

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said lawmakers should stop "their reckless impeachment charades and attacks on law enforcement" and instead "deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system."

From Reuters

We would do little tricks and zoom around in circles with massive smiles on our faces, dreading when we would have to abandon our charades and go home.

From Seattle Times

Bailey, whom Marshall praises for “portraying her emotions on her face without overdoing it like a game of charades,” handles the dialogue-free stretches with aplomb.

From Los Angeles Times