The Impostor Word Game (also called the Imposter Word Game or Undercover) is a party game where everyone secretly sees the same word — except one impostor, who only gets a vague hint. Players take turns saying one clue word each; the group tries to expose the impostor while the impostor bluffs and tries to guess the secret word. You can play it free online right here at impostorgames.com/word — no app, no sign-up, 3–20 players, works on any phone browser.

1. 1

   Gather your group

   Three to twenty friends in the same room. Give everyone their own phone and open this page on each one, or pick Pass the Phone in the lobby and share a single screen.

2. 2

   Create or join a room

   One person creates a room and shares the 4-character code or QR code. Everyone else joins by entering the code or scanning the QR. Sharing one phone instead? Switch the lobby to Pass the Phone and type the names in, no codes needed.

3. 3

   Ready up

   Each player taps the I'm Ready button in the lobby. Once everyone has tapped it, the host can start the round. On a shared phone there is nothing to ready up: hit start once the names are right.

4. 4

   Draw your cards

   The host picks a category — Food, Animals, Places, Movies & TV, Football and more. When the round starts, everyone secretly sees the same word on their phone… except the impostor, who only sees a vague hint. On a shared phone the same cards come round one at a time: swipe yours over, read it, pass it on.

5. 5

   Give clues

   Take turns out loud: each player says exactly one word related to the secret word. The impostor has to bluff along using just the hint.

6. 6

   Accuse and defend

   Whose clue felt off? Discuss, accuse, defend — the group tries to agree on who the impostor is, while the impostor tries to work out the secret word from everyone's clues.

7. 7

   The reveal

   The round ends when the group agrees on a suspect — or the impostor blurts out the secret word first. The host taps Reveal and every screen shows who the impostor really was.