charade

[ shuh-reyd; especially British shuh-rahd ]

noun

1. charades, (used with a singular verb) a game in which the players are typically divided into two teams, members of which take turns at acting out in pantomime a word, phrase, title, etc., which the members of their own team must guess.
2. a word or phrase acted out in this game.
3. a blatant pretense or deception, especially something so full of pretense as to be a travesty.

charade

/ ʃəˈrɑːd /

noun

1. an episode or act in the game of charades
2. an absurd act; travesty

Word History and Origins

Origin of charade¹

1770–80; < French < Provençal charrad ( o ) entertainment, equivalent to charr ( á ) to chat, chatter (from imitative root) + -ado -ade ¹

Example Sentences

The company that brought us the cult-classic board game Exploding Kittens now has a new and improved take on charades.

From Outside Online

You may not resolve that years-old rift with your sibling, but you may thaw the ice over a campfire or a game of charades.

From Washington Post

Hospitals had been accepting bribes from the disinfectant’s manufacturer, and the government knew about the whole charade.

From Time

Other options include Jackbox, a popular virtual party game in which players sign in to an app to play games reminiscent of charades or Pictionary.

From MIT Technology Review

The vaudeville veteran sees right through this charade of benighted widowhood, peeling back the veneer to reveal the specimen of ruthless ambition beneath.

From Washington Blade

If the Democrats maintain this charade, 2016 will not be the cakewalk they dream it to be.

From The Daily Beast

What I mean is that both sides found time to put on a charade.

From The Daily Beast

Finally, she reached a point where she could no longer continue the charade.

From The Daily Beast

Democrats, do the American thing and have nothing to do with this charade.

From The Daily Beast

If this is all a hoax, Detweiler is a master of the charade.

From The Daily Beast

But I know what it is, I'm in love—that confounded Charade put me up to that dodge.

From Project Gutenberg

He looked on hopelessly, as you look at a charade of which you have not got the key.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, the Far Eastern state of things is a kind of charade on the word; for humanity there is singularly uniform.

From Project Gutenberg

The last charade party had not been held in their parlors, they congratulated themselves.

From Project Gutenberg

The Charade is of recent birth, and I cannot discover the origin of this species of logogriphes.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deception
• farce
• travesty