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Hangman Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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hangman

[ˈhaŋmən ]

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

game

A word-guessing game in which one player thinks of a word and the other player must guess the word by suggesting letters within a certain number of guesses.

Synonyms

letter-guessing game, word-guessing game.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
hangman

Can also refer to the historical executioner or the practice of execution by hanging; this usage has negative connotations.

  • The hangman carried out the sentence at dawn.
  • The infamous hangman was known throughout the region.
word-guessing game

A broader term that can be used to describe any game where participants guess words, not restricted to the traditional hangman game.

  • The kids enjoyed the word-guessing game at the party.
  • There are many variations of word-guessing games you can try.
letter-guessing game

Describes the activity in a more explanatory manner; useful when the audience may not be familiar with the term 'hangman'.

  • We played a letter-guessing game in class today.
  • She guessed a lot of letters correctly in the letter-guessing game.

Examples of usage

  • Let's play hangman, I'll think of a word and you try to guess it!
  • We used to play hangman during long car rides to pass the time.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'hangman'

The game of Hangman is believed to have originated in Victorian times as a pen-and-paper game in which players would try to guess a word letter by letter before completing a drawing of a hanged man. The game has since evolved and become popular worldwide as a fun and challenging word game.

See also: hang, hanging, hangings, hangout, overhang, overhanging.